Tag Archives: China

     The Hong Kong Flower Show 2025, currently running at Victoria Park, is displaying the winning entries of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)’s Western and Oriental Style Garden Plot Competitions, in addition to beautiful floral arrangements and horticultural works. The competition winners are:
 
     Oriental Style Garden Plot Competition
     Champion: Tsuen Wan District’s “A Jiangnan Residence”
     Environmental Award: Kwai Tsing District’s “The Blissful Valley”
     Most Creative Award: Eastern District’s “The Cherished Days of Hong Kong”
 
     Western Style Garden Plot Competition
     Champion: Yuen Long District’s “The Happy Cottage”
     Environmental Award: Wan Chai District’s “Joyful Wanderlust”
     Most Creative Award: Islands District’s “Treasure Hunt Adventure”
 
     The design of Tsuen Wan District’s “A Jiangnan Residence” adopts natural elements including rockeries and water features adorned with a stone bridge, stone sculptures, a stone table and an archway, enriching the serene landscape. Featuring myriad lush flowers and trees with complementary colour tones, this plot showcases the beauty of harmony in nature.
 
     Kwai Tsing’s garden, with the theme of “The Blissful Valley”, is inspired by gardens in northern Thailand. To support going green, this plot uses recyclable and environmentally friendly materials, including a meditation platform and seat pads made of fallen trees after a typhoon. Such a design epitomises the traditional philosophy of merging nature with everyday living. 
 
     Eastern District’s “The Cherished Days of Hong Kong” is inspired by the resettlement estates of Hong Kong in the past. The plot, displaying small shops and playground equipment of the old days, is filled with common plants and adorned with vigorously coloured cosmos, vividly telling the stories of Hong Kong. In addition, the use of green materials also creates a nostalgic atmosphere reminiscent of those cherished days.
 
     Yuen Long District’s “The Happy Cottage” depicts the theme of a dwarves’ garden. To allow visitors to immerse in its beauty, the plot is planted with fragrant spring flowers, vegetation and trees, while the winding path and gurgling water create a lively atmosphere that brims with the joy of nature.
 
     Wan Chai District’s “Joyful Wanderlust” features the joy of an outing with family and friends. The garden, featuring a caravan adorned with flowers and a camp table, is surrounded by lush greenery and vibrant blossoms.
 
     The design of Islands District’s “Treasure Hunt Adventure” features tropical flowers and plants brimming with dazzling colours to create an exotic Caribbean charm. In addition, a treasure trove featuring flowing water is set up with treasure chests scattered around. The landscape is made with recycled zinc panels and discarded wood to show support to the principle of going green.
 
     All entries in the Garden Plot Competitions were meticulously designed by staff of the District Leisure Services Offices of the LCSD. Members of the public can visit the flower show to enjoy the above winning entries and other garden plot designs. Meanwhile, the flower show is hosting the “My Most Favourite Garden Plot” online voting campaign (www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2025/voting.html), encouraging voters to choose their favourites from the garden plots of the 18 districts at the show, with a chance of winning free air tickets.
 
     The flower show, with some 400 000 flowering plants on display, is running until this Sunday (March 23) from 9am to 9pm daily. A rich diversity of educational and recreational fringe activities are also being held for the enjoyment of visitors of all ages.
 
     The flower show is organised by the LCSD. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has supported the Flower Show since 2013 and has been its major sponsor since 2014. For more details of the show and its admission fee arrangements, please visit the webpage (www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2025/index.html) or call 2601 8260 for enquiry.

                

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, March 20, 2025 is 106.3 (same as yesterday’s index). read more

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is conducting comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor the situation and continue to implement the enhanced testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on March 19 to noon today (March 20), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 109 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 123 701 samples of food imported from Japan (including 81 217 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 28 528 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

     â€‹The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, expressed sorrow over the passing of Hong Kong’s renowned lyricist Jimmy Lo and extends her deepest condolences to his family.
      
     Mr Lo was a prominent figure in Hong Kong’s music and lyric-writing scene, as his lyrics captured the essence of the city’s evolving times and emotions. He wrote lyrics for over 3 000 songs, each a masterpiece of poetic craftsmanship and profound emotion. His works have touched the lives of many in Hong Kong, leaving a lasting impression in the city’s collective memory. Revered as the “Maestro of Lyrics”, Mr Lo’s timeless classics, such as “Dynasty” (大內群英), “Every Time It Changes” (æ¯�當變幻時) and “Fatherland” (大地æ�©æƒ…), skillfully interweaved lyrics and mood, conveying a multitude of emotions to listeners. His works continue to resonate with audiences and stand the test of time.
      
     Miss Law said, “With his superb writing skills, Mr Lo’s lyrics were imbued with profound emotion and philosophy. His works were sometimes meticulous and sometimes grand, touching the hearts of countless listeners. He dedicated his life to creating classic songs for Hong Kong’s music industry, leaving behind a precious collective memory for us all. His passing is a tremendous loss to Hong Kong’s cultural community. We will always remember this exceptional artist and truly value his tremendous contributions to Hong Kong’s culture.” read more

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 Shanghai Commercial Bank Limited relating to fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens, 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 websites or login screens 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. read more