The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the latest provisional figures on restaurant receipts and purchases today (February 6). The valu… read more
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 6) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly… read more
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) announced today (February 6) the appointment and reappointment of members to the new-term Mega Arts and Cultural Events (ACE) Committee for a period of two years from February 1, 2025, to January 31, 2027.
A spokesperson for the CSTB said that the reappointed and newly appointed members are all leaders from the arts and cultural and related sectors. The CSTB looks forward to their valuable advice to attract mega arts and cultural events to be held in Hong Kong. Appreciation was extended to the outgoing member, Professor Eric Yim Chi-ming, for his support and contribution to the Mega ACE Committee.
The membership of the Mega ACE Committee with effect from February 1 is as follows:
Chairman
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Dr Adrian Cheng Chi-kong
Vice-Chairman
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Mrs Helen Chan
Members
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Ms Ann Au Chor-kwan
Ms Winnie Chiu Wing-kwan
Mr William Fong Yuen-ming*
Dr Evelyn Lam Ho-yi*
Mr Lo Bing-chung*
Mr Wesley Ng Pui-sun
Mr Ng Sui-wan (Ng Yu)
Ms Yolanda Ng Yuen-ting
Ms Joyce Tam Joy-yee*
Mr Paul Yeung Kwok-leung
* New appointees
The CSTB launched the Mega ACE Fund in April 2023. The Mega ACE Fund aims to attract and support international and large-scale arts and cultural events to be held in Hong Kong, with a view to fostering Hong Kong’s development as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. The Mega ACE Committee advises the Government on strategies to attract mega arts and cultural events to be held in Hong Kong, and on the operation of the Mega ACE Fund. It also assesses applications under the Mega ACE Fund for the Government’s approval.
Further to the CSTB’s announcement on details of the enhancement of the Mega ACE Fund’s operation and its application arrangement on November 30, 2024, the new application mechanism officially took effect on January 1, 2025. For more information and the application form, please visit www.cstb.gov.hk/en/councils-boards-and-committees/mega-arts-and-cultural-events-committee.html. read more
The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, February 6, 2025 is 107.1 (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 will conduct 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 and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
From noon on February 5 to noon today (February 6), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 54 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 113 743 samples of food imported from Japan (including 74 387 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 26 422 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more