Tag Archives: China

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 1) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay, see Note 2).     
   
     Thirty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), eight as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:         

Big Wave Bay Beach*	Lo So Shing Beach
Butterfly Beach*	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach	Pui O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Repulse Bay Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Shek O Beach*
Clear Water Bay Second Beach*	Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Deep Water Bay Beach*	Silverstrand Beach*
Discovery Bay	South Bay Beach
Golden Beach*	St Stephen’s Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach*	Stanley Main Beach*
Hung Shing Yeh Beach*	Tong Fuk Beach
Kadoorie Beach	Trio Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Kwun Yam Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Approach Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Cafeteria New Beach	Lido Beach*
Casam Beach*	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*
Castle Peak Beach	Ting Kau Beach

 
Grade 3 beach is:

Anglers’ Beach

 
     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.
 
     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.
 
Note 1: In view of the latest situation of COVID-19, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced on March 31 that 15 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk above, will reopen on April 2 with lifeguard services to be provided.
 
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service. read more

     The Government announced today (April 1) that the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, has appointed Mrs Ayesha Macpherson Lau to the Financial Leaders Forum, effective from April 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022. 
 
     The membership of the Forum is as follows:
 
Chairman
———-
Financial Secretary
 
Members
———-
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
Mr Bernard Charnwut Chan
Mrs Laura Cha Shih May-lung
Mr Chow Chung-kong
Mr Joseph Yam Chi-kwong
Dr Moses Cheng Mo-chi
Dr David Wong Yau-kar
Mr Tim Lui Tim-leung
Mrs Ayesha Macpherson Lau
Mr Laurence Li Lu-jen
Chief Executive, Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Chief Executive Officer, Securities and Futures Commission
 
     The Financial Leaders Forum, established in August 2017, is a high-level platform comprising top leaders from the financial community as well as key financial regulators. It is an institutional set-up underpinning the vision of the Government in playing a more active leading role in policymaking and on matters relating to monetary stability, financial safety and regulation to reinforce Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre. Members of the Forum provide advice from a strategic point of view and offer forward-looking suggestions on key aspects crucial to the development of Hong Kong as a leading international financial centre. read more

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, April 1, 2021 is 102.4 (up 0.1 against yesterday’s index). read more

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

     Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

Tender date	:	April 1, 2021
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	Q2114
Issue date	:	April 7, 2021
Maturity date	:	July 7, 2021
Amount applied	:	HK$152,230 MN
Amount allotted	:	HK$59,334 MN
Average yield accepted	:	0.03 PCT
Highest yield accepted	:	0.03 PCT
Pro rata ratio*	:	About 51 PCT
Average tender yield	:	0.04 PCT
****************************
Tender date	:	April 1, 2021
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	H2143
Issue date	:	April 7, 2021
Maturity date	:	October 6, 2021
Amount applied	:	HK$68,420 MN
Amount allotted	:	HK$17,000 MN
Average yield accepted	:	0.05 PCT
Highest yield accepted	:	0.05 PCT
Pro rata ratio*	:	About 65 PCT
Average tender yield	:	0.07 PCT

 
*”Pro rata ratio” refers to the average percentage of allotment with respect to each tender participant’s tendered amount at the “highest yield accepted” level.
———————————————————
Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning April 12, 2021:
 

Tender date	:	April 13, 2021
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	Q2115
Issue date	:	April 14, 2021
Maturity date	:	July 14, 2021
Tenor	:	91 Days
Amount on offer	:	HK$61,339 MN
****************************
Tender date	:	April 13, 2021
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	H2144
Issue date	:	April 14, 2021
Maturity date	:	October 13, 2021
Tenor	:	182 Days
Amount on offer	:	HK$16,000 MN
****************************
Tender date	:	April 13, 2021
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	Y2188
Issue date	:	April 14, 2021
Maturity date	:	April 13, 2022
Tenor	:	364 Days
Amount on offer	:	HK$3,000 MN

read more

     Two red tides have been sighted over the past week, an inter-departmental red tide working group reported today (April 1).

     The first red tide was spotted by an oyster famer on March 26 at Deep Bay. The second red tide was spotted by staff of the Environmental Protection Department on March 29 at Chung Hom Kok Beach, Hong Kong Island.

     The red tide at Deep Bay still persists while the other case at Chung Hom Kok Beach has dissipated. No fish deaths associated with the two red tides have been reported as at today.

     A spokesman for the working group said, “The red tide at Deep Bay was formed by Takayama tuberculata, which is not common in Hong Kong waters, while the red tide at Chung Hom Kok Beach was formed by Noctiluca scintillans, which is common in Hong Kong waters. Both algae are non-toxic.”

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) urged mariculturists at the fish culture zones of Lo Tik Wan, Sok Kwu Wan and Po Toi, and related oyster farmers at Deep Bay to monitor the situation closely and increase aeration where necessary.

     Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The AFCD’s proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue monitoring red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public. read more