Month: April 2025

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Foreign Minister Lin meets with Eswatini king and queen mother, cohosts groundbreaking for strategic oil reserve facility

Date：2025-04-24
Data Source：Department of West Asian and African Affairs

April 24, 2025   No. 116  Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, serving as President Lai Ching-te’s special envoy to Taiwan’s African ally Eswatini, met with Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala and had an audience with King Mswati III on the afternoon of April 23. He and King Mswati III jointly presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for a strategic oil reserve facility, broadening bilateral cooperation into a new area.
 
The king and the queen mother expressed appreciation for President Lai’s appointment of Minister Lin as special envoy for the king’s 57th birthday celebrations. They thanked Taiwan for its long-term assistance in developing Eswatini’s infrastructure, which they said had played an important role in economic growth. The king and the queen mother reaffirmed the robust diplomatic partnership between the two countries and pledged to continue to support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations.
 
Special Envoy Lin extended birthday wishes to King Mswati III on behalf of President Lai and presented the king with a congratulatory letter from the president as well as special envoy credentials. He also delivered birthday gifts to the king, including cattle in accordance with local customs, high-tech products and delicacies from Taiwan, and a wooden sculpture entitled Infinite Wisdom by Taiwanese artist Kang Mu-xiang. 
 
In his remarks, Special Envoy Lin thanked King Mswati III for leading a delegation to the inauguration of President Lai in May 2024 to convey support for Taiwan’s new administration. He said that Taiwan, as an important ally of Eswatini, would continue to contribute to the development of key infrastructure projects. He commended the king for fully supporting the launch of the strategic oil reserve facility and noted that it was the largest cooperation project to be undertaken by the two nations since the establishment of diplomatic ties. Special Envoy Lin said the project demonstrated that Taiwan was Eswatini’s steadfast partner, adding that the two countries had always supported each other. He stressed that Taiwan would continue to promote and expand the scope of bilateral exchanges and cooperation to further assist Eswatini in realizing its development goals.
 
Following their meeting, Special Envoy Lin and King Mswati III jointly presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the strategic oil reserve facility. The milestone in bilateral relations was witnessed by prominent leaders from all sectors of Eswatini society. King Mswati III also hosted a reception for Special Envoy Lin, the delegation, and other guests, demonstrating the high regard of the Eswatini royal family and government for the visitors and the project.
 
Taiwan and Eswatini established diplomatic relations in 1968. Over the past 57 years, bilateral ties have been stable and cordial. The government of Eswatini has actively and unfailingly supported Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. It is one of Taiwan staunchest allies. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

April 24, 2025
No. 115

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung is currently visiting Eswatini as President Lai Ching-te’s special envoy. He continues to carry out important engagements in Taiwan’s African ally. 
 
On the morning of April 23, the second day of his visit, Special Envoy Lin called on Prime Minister Russell Dlamini to thank him for his friendship with Taiwan. Prime Minister Dlamini, who assumed office in November 2023, led a delegation to Taiwan in March 2024. In the same year, he spoke up for Taiwan on behalf of the government of Eswatini at major international events, including the United Nations General Assembly and the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, demonstrating staunch support for the diplomatic alliance between the two countries.
 
Prime Minister Dlamini warmly welcomed Special Envoy Lin to Eswatini and thanked Taiwan for its long-standing support. He reaffirmed that relations with Taiwan were rock-solid and emphasized that Eswatini, as a sovereign nation, had the right to choose its own friends without being influenced by other countries. He underlined that Eswatini was firmly committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with Taiwan.
 
Also on the morning of April 23, Special Envoy Lin joined Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Pholile Shakantu; Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo; and other high-level officials at an event to showcase the results of a microfinance revolving fund implemented by Taiwan and Eswatini to help women start businesses.
 
In his remarks, Special Envoy Lin stated that Taiwan had announced an investment of US$1 million to establish the revolving fund in September 2023. He said the program provided start-up loans for women in rural areas, increased household incomes, and contributed to the economic and social development of Eswatini. In the past year or more since the fund was launched, over 500 loans had been approved, leading to changes in people’s lives and helping women achieve economic independence, he added. Highlighting a touching result of the initiative, Special Envoy Lin noted that one beneficiary had named her newborn baby Taiwan to thank Taiwan for its assistance. He further announced that the Taiwan government would inject an additional US$500,000 into the fund to further expand the virtuous cycle.  Special Envoy Lin said this underscored Taiwan’s strong commitment to economic empowerment in Eswatini.
 
Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Dladla recalled her 2019 visit to Taiwan as foreign minister, during which she presented a proposal to the Taiwan government for the revolving fund on behalf of Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala. She said that in 2020 the Technical Mission of the International Cooperation and Development Fund in Eswatini had introduced the Women’s Microenterprise Mentoring and Capacity Building Project, under which more than 6,000 women had received entrepreneurship skills training. Deputy Prime Minister Dladla said this was followed by a bilateral cooperation agreement to launch the fund, signed at a ceremony witnessed by the heads of state of both nations in September 2023. She praised the results that the program had achieved since it was launched just over a year ago in effectively giving women in rural areas of Eswatini an avenue to finance their start-up plans.
 
Around 100 beneficiaries of the fund attended the event. Participants sang classic Taiwanese songs such as “Fight to Win,” creating a warm and lively atmosphere. Special Envoy Lin presented a stuffed leopard cat to the child named Taiwan, highlighting the profound friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini.
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to work with the government of Eswatini to enhance the well-being of the peoples of both countries and further deepen bilateral relations. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to Czech Senate adopting resolution on China’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758

Date：2025-04-30
Data Source：Department of European Affairs

April 30, 2025 

The Czech Senate on April 29 adopted a resolution on the misrepresentation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 by the People’s Republic of China and support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. In the resolution, the Czech Senate opposed China’s mischaracterization of UNGA Resolution 2758, emphasizing that it did not substantiate the “one China principle,” and rejected China’s related claim that Taiwan was part of China. The resolution also reiterated its support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the resolution and expresses its sincere appreciation.
 
The resolution stated that when UNGA Resolution 2758 was adopted on October 25, 1971, it made no mention of Taiwan, the Taiwanese people, or Taiwan’s political status; did not establish PRC sovereignty over Taiwan; and did not discuss Taiwan’s status or participation in UN agencies. Moreover, the resolution pointed out that China’s deliberate distortion of UN resolutions endangered the legitimacy of the United Nations and infringed on the basic principles of international law. It called on China to respect the content of UNGA 2758 and stop misusing it for its own political ends.
 
In addition, the resolution supported Taiwan’s meaningful participation in multilateral organizations and fora such as the World Health Organization, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the International Criminal Police Organization. It urged the Czech government to address China’s misrepresentation and misuse of UNGA Resolution 2758 in the UN system and support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the United Nations and other international organizations.
 
The Czech Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee adopted a resolution on December 12, 2024, opposing China’s improper linking of UNGA Resolution 2758 with the “one China principle.” The new Czech Senate resolution therefore once again demonstrates the Czech Parliament’s staunch backing of Taiwan and underscores the close and cordial relations between Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung expresses sincere gratitude to the Czech Senate for supporting Taiwan through concrete action and calls on the international community to likewise counter China’s false narratives regarding UNGA Resolution 2758. Taiwan will continue to work hand in hand with like-minded partners worldwide to resist the efforts of authoritarian regimes seeking to undermine the international order and to jointly safeguard the core values shared by the global democratic community.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA demands Somali government immediately revoke notification to airline operators not to accept Taiwan passport for travel to Somalia

Date：2025-04-29
Data Source：Department of West Asian and African Affairs

April 29, 2025  
No. 128  
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) on April 22 issued a notification to all airline operators and stakeholders that, starting from April 30, passports and related travel documents issued by Taiwan and its subordinate authorities could no longer be used to enter, exit, or transit through Somalia. The SCAA stated that the Somali government’s decision was made in line with the “one China principle” based on United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly protests Somalia’s imposition of restrictions on Taiwan nationals’ freedom and safety of travel at China’s instigation. It demands that the government of Somalia immediately revoke this notification. MOFA also solemnly refutes and strongly condemns the Somali government’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758, conflation of the resolution with the so-called “one China principle,” and propagation of the falsehood that Taiwan is subordinate to the People’s Republic of China.

MOFA and the Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland as well as the government of Somaliland have jointly requested that like-minded nations and international organizations take concrete steps to press for the abjuration of this wrongful action. To ensure Taiwan nationals’ travel safety and convenience, MOFA reminds them not to travel to either Somalia or Somaliland until the Somali government revokes the notification.

Since declaring independence in 1991, Somaliland has held four presidential elections. It enjoys political stability and a deepening democracy. Somaliland and Taiwan are like-minded countries that uphold freedom and democracy. The Somali government controls Somaliland’s airspace, and its crass efforts to halt interactions between peoples of democratic nations have a deleterious effect on the situation in the Horn of Africa. MOFA will provide timely updates should there be subsequent developments. (E) 

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Foreign Minister Lin concludes successful visit to Eswatini, elevating bilateral relations to new heights

Date：2025-04-27
Data Source：Department of West Asian and African Affairs

April 27, 2025  
No. 122  

On April 26, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, serving as a special presidential envoy, successfully completed a five-day visit to Eswatini and returned to Taiwan.

On the final day of the trip, Special Envoy Lin announced that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would cooperate with Big Game Parks, an Eswatini wildlife conservation organization, and contribute one million emalangeni to assist the protection of rhinoceros habitat. The donation was witnessed by Eswatini Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Pholile Shakantu and Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Mkhonta-Simelane. In a gesture symbolizing the friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini, Special Envoy Lin named a newborn baby rhino in the national park Formosa. The announcement represented a further expansion of the scope of bilateral collaboration into the sphere of preserving ecological diversity.

In his remarks, Special Envoy Lin thanked Big Game Parks for its contributions to conservation. He said that Taiwan attached great importance to biodiversity and understood that every species played an indispensable role in human survival. Special Envoy Lin explained that as well as prioritizing conservation work, the government of Taiwan had also enacted the Wildlife Conservation Act and incorporated the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora into national law. He added that Taiwan had worked hard to protect plants and animals at home and abroad to stop illegal exploitation of natural resources. Looking ahead, Special Envoy Lin said he hoped Taiwan and Eswatini would continue to jointly engage in related efforts.

Acting on behalf of President Lai Ching-te, Special Envoy Lin led a large delegation including industry representatives to Eswatini from April 21 to 26 to join celebrations for the 57th birthday of King Mswati III. The visit demonstrated Taiwan’s high regard for Eswatini and further deepened the cordial relations and constructive cooperation between the two countries. 

During the trip, Special Envoy Lin had audiences with the king and queen mother of Eswatini and met with other senior officials including the prime minister and foreign minister. He discussed bilateral cooperation plans and signed memorandums and joint statements that covered areas such as providing medical care, building 5G infrastructure, countering disinformation, and conserving wildlife. Special Envoy Lin also visited the referral and emergency complex and operating theater of Mbabane Government Hospital, which were built with assistance from Taiwan, as well as a factory that receives investment from local Taiwanese businesspeople.

The successful trip further strengthened Taiwan-Eswatini diplomatic ties, broadened cooperation between the two nations, demonstrated Taiwan’s active contributions to the international community, and laid even more solid foundations for the countries to progress toward common prosperity. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to false claims regarding Taiwan in joint statement between PRC and Azerbaijan

Date：2025-04-24
Data Source：Department of West Asian and African Affairs

April 24, 2025  
  
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev visited China from April 22 to 24. Following a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on April 23, the two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership. Among other spurious content, the statement falsely claimed that Taiwan was an inalienable part of Chinese territory.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemns the Chinese government for continuing to issue preposterous pronouncements that aim to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty on the international stage. It also expresses deep regret at the Azerbaijani government’s submission to, and compliance with, authoritarian China. 

MOFA reaffirms that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is an independent, sovereign country and that neither the ROC (Taiwan) nor the Chinese Communist Party-governed People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other. No statement intended to distort Taiwan’s sovereign status or undermine international peace and stability can alter the internationally recognized status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

MOFA calls on the international community to recognize China’s authoritarian nature, as well as its efforts to deceitfully frame the issue of Taiwan as being a domestic matter and block international support for Taiwan. It also urges the international community to continue to respond with concrete action and clearly oppose China’s malicious attempts to alter the status quo across the Taiwan Strait so as to help jointly maintain peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA sincerely thanks United States for condemning China’s misuse of UNGA Resolution 2758 for first time at UN Security Council

Date：2025-04-24
Data Source：Department of International Organizations

April 24, 2025 
No. 117 

At a United Nations Security Council meeting on April 23, the United States severely condemned China for misusing UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 in its attempts to isolate Taiwan, mischaracterize other countries’ policies, and constrain their choices. The United States also reiterated that the resolution did not preclude Taiwan’s participation in the UN system or other multilateral fora. This is the second time that the current US administration has spoken up for Taiwan at the United Nations, following its public statement rejecting China’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758 at a meeting of the World Health Organization Executive Board in February. This is also the first time that the United States has clearly expressed its position on the resolution at the UN Security Council, which is of great significance.
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung thanks the Trump administration for staunchly supporting Taiwan’s efforts to participate in the international arena and for denouncing China’s relentless attempts to suppress Taiwan’s sovereign status and international participation by maliciously distorting UNGA Resolution 2758. The Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent country, and neither Taiwan nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other. This is the objective reality across the Taiwan Strait and an internationally recognized fact. UNGA Resolution 2758 makes absolutely no mention of Taiwan, nor does it state that Taiwan is part of the PRC. Only Taiwan’s democratically elected government can represent its 23 million people in the United Nations system and other international organizations. (E)

Source: Government of India

Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil reviews the Jalaj initiative and charts a new path for river conservation and livelihood generation

Along with conservation, Jalaj aims at creating economic opportunities and enhancing community participation in river rejuvenation efforts: Shri C R Patil

Union minister lauds the innovative models developed under Jalaj and emphasizes the need to scale up successful practices across other major river basins

Jalaj has empowered over 5,000 members of the boating community and supported more than 2,400 women in 42 districts across nine states

Posted On: 30 APR 2025 3:50PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil, chaired a review meeting to assess the progress of the Wildlife Institute of India’s livelihood-focused project JALAJ. The Jalaj program under the aegis of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), is a significant component of the Government’s Arth Ganga vision — linking people to rivers through sustainable economic activities. Along with livelihood focus, the project aims at creating societal awareness towards aquatic biodiversity conservation.

Highlighting its pivotal role, the Union Minister emphasized that along with conservation, JALAJ aims at creating economic opportunities and enhancing community participation in river rejuvenation efforts. Jalaj has successfully connected river conservation with livelihood generation by promoting eco-tourism, sustainable farming, skill development, and artisanal production across the Ganga basin. The initiative aims at establish 75 Jalaj centers, with various models such as Dolphin Safaris, Homestays, Livelihood Centers, and Awareness & Sale Points etc. Jalaj has empowered over 5,000 members of the boating community and supported more than 2,400 women in 42 districts across nine states.

 

It emerged in the review that JALAJ aims at symbiotic linkage between river and communities and helps in educating people on values of conserved Ganga river. The review noted that Jalaj has conducted 263 training programs and mass outreach efforts through digital and print media, including YouTube channel. Shri C.R. Patil reviewed efforts to further enhance the livelihood potential of Jalaj and stressed its role as a bridge connecting communities to river ecosystems, making river conservation an economically rewarding endeavour. He appreciated the innovative models developed under Jalaj and emphasized the need to scale up successful practices across other major river basins like the Godavari, Periyar, Pampa and Barak whose ecological assessments were also reviewed in the meeting.

To further strengthen outreach and awareness, a dedicated Jalaj informative website was launched by Sh. C.R. Patil. The website serves as a comprehensive resource hub, offering detailed insights into various Jalaj models such as Homestays, Dolphin Safaris, Livelihood Training Centers, and Awareness and Sale Centers. It also showcases success stories on how the Jalaj initiative has empowered community members, particularly women, by linking them to marketing centers. The website displays a range of eco-friendly products crafted by Ganga Praharis and aims to create widespread awareness about threatened aquatic biodiversity, including the Ganga River Dolphin, crocodilians, freshwater turtles, and water birds.

Additionally, a Jalaj Products Catalogue was launched which has been developed, profiling sustainably produced goods prepared at Jalaj Production Centers, categorized into stationery items, home décor, apparels, body and skincare, and edibles. Furthermore, “SaanskritikLehren,” a special feature under Jalaj, was released by Sh. C.R. Patil which highlights the cultural ecosystem service value of the Ganga River, emphasizing its deep connection with India’s heritage, traditions, and the livelihoods of millions. Jalaj’s success has been widely recognized. The Hon’ble President of India lauded it during Gaj Utsav 2023, and Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi mentioned Jalaj as a model for freshwater conservation in his “Mann Ki Baat” address and at ICCON 2023, Mysore.

The Jalaj initiative, by linking conservation efforts with livelihood generation, stands today as a shining example of how environmental protection and socio-economic development can go hand-in-hand — truly realizing the vision of Arth Ganga.

***

Dhanya Sanal K

Director

(Release ID: 2125460) Visitor Counter : 98

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (April 30) that open auctions for a total of 590 stalls in 45 public markets will be held in May. Market stalls not taken at open auctions will be available to the public for renting at their upset prices on May 23 on a first-come, first-served basis.

(1) Open auctions

The types of stalls to be auctioned this time cover cooked food, frozen meat, fresh meat, fresh fish, frozen (chilled) poultry, fruits, vegetables, ready-to-eat food, food-related dry goods and wet goods, non-food related dry goods and wet goods, service trades, siu mei and lo mei, mobile phones/mobile phone accessories/electronic products/electronic parts, pet goods and pet food, hardware/locksmith, etc. The tenancy agreement is a three-year fixed term from June 1, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the tenancy agreement. The upset prices of the monthly rent of the stalls vary depending on the sizes, locations and vacancy periods of the individual stalls. The upset prices for the stalls in an open auction will be initially fixed at 80 per cent of the open market rent (OMR) if the stalls have been vacant for over six months, and at 60 per cent of the OMR if the vacant period has been over eight months. Relevant information is available on the FEHD website.

The date and the number of stalls are as follows:

New Territories (1)
———————–
Auction date: May 7 (Wednesday) (am)
Number of stalls: 89

New Territories (2)
———————
Auction date: May 8 (Thursday) (am)
Number of stalls: 76

Hong Kong Island and Islands District (1)
———————————————-
Auction date: May 12 (Monday) (am)
Number of stalls: 119

Aberdeen Market
——————-
Auction date: May 12 (Monday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 20

Hong Kong Island and Islands District (2)
———————————————-
Auction date: May 13 (Tuesday) (am)
Number of stalls: 75

Hong Kong Island and Islands District (3)
———————————————-
Auction date: May 13 (Tuesday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 64

Kowloon (1)
—————
Auction date: May 14 (Wednesday) (am)
Number of stalls: 79

Lai Wan Market
——————–
Auction date: May 14 (Wednesday) (pm)
Number of stalls: two

Kowloon (2)
—————
Auction date: May 15 (Thursday) (am)
Number of stalls: 52

Kowloon (3)
—————
Auction date: May 15 (Thursday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 14

The open auctions will be held at Room 410, 4/F, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot, 87 Yen Chow Street West, Kowloon. Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The admission tickets will be issued 30 minutes prior to the commencement of each auction. Persons who want to attend the auctions must wait at the waiting area of the auction venue and produce their Hong Kong identity card or passport for registration. The registered person will then be provided with an admission ticket for the auctions. In addition, eligible bidders after verification will be issued with a bidding paddle for the auction. The FEHD has also invited representatives of the Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption to monitor the auctions at the auction venue in order to ensure that the open auctions are conducted in an orderly and fair manner.

(2) Renting at upset prices on first-come, first-served basis

The tenancy agreement of market stalls renting on a first-come, first-served basis is a three-year fixed term from July 1, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the tenancy agreement. The upset prices of the monthly rent of the stalls vary depending on their sizes, locations, vacancy periods and the reduced upset prices from the last open auction of the individual stalls. Relevant information is available on the FEHD website after the open auction.

Members of the public who are interested in renting a market stall at its upset price should approach the following FEHD offices, as appropriate, to apply in person from 9.30am to 12.30pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm on May 23:
 

Districts in which the market stalls are located	Venues for selection of market stalls
Hong Kong Island and Islands District	Hawkers and Markets Section (Hong Kong and Islands) Office, 8/F, Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building, 225 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Kowloon	Hawkers and Markets Section (Kowloon) Office, Room 301-302, 3/F, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot, 87 Yen Chow Street West, Kowloon
Kwai Tsing District	Kwai Tsing District Environmental Hygiene Office, 9/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices, 166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung, New Territories
North District	North District Environmental Hygiene Office, 4/F, Shek Wu Hui Municipal Services Building, 13 Chi Cheong Road, Sheung Shui, New Territories
Sai Kung District	Sai Kung District Environmental Hygiene Office, 7/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex, 38 Pui Shing Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories
Sha Tin District	Sha Tin District Environmental Hygiene Office, Units 1201-1207 and 1220-1221, 12/F, Tower 1, Grand Central Plaza, 138 Sha Tin Rural Committee Road, Sha Tin, New Territories
Tai Po District	Tai Po District Environmental Hygiene Office, 3/F, Tai Po Complex, 8 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po, New Territories
Tsuen Wan District	Tsuen Wan District Environmental Hygiene Office, 3/F, Yeung Uk Road Municipal Services Building, 45 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories
Tuen Mun District	Tuen Mun District Environmental Hygiene Office, 1/F, Tuen Mun Government Offices Building, 1 Tuen Hi Road, Tuen Mun, New Territories
Yuen Long District	Yuen Long District Environmental Hygiene Office, 2/F, Yuen Long Government Offices, 2 Kiu Lok Square, Yuen Long, New Territories

A spokesman for the FEHD said, “Bidders or applicants for the market stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. To allow more people to bid for or select the stalls and increase customer choices by enhancing the diversity in terms of the variety of stalls, there will be a restriction on the number of stalls to be rented in the same market by a single tenant. Any person who is currently a stall tenant is not allowed to bid in the first round of auction for any stall in the same market, and will only be allowed to bid for one stall in the second round of auction or to select one stall in the same market on a first-come, first-served basis. The existing tenants under the new three-year fixed term tenancy scheme (i.e. those persons who became stall tenants through the market open auctions after August 2022) are allowed to bid for a stall in the auction or select a stall on a first-come, first-served basis in the same market, but shall vacate the current stall and return it to the FEHD before the effective date of commencement of the new tenancy agreement.”

​Details of the open auctions and the public market stalls concerned (including stalls for open auction at reduced upset prices) have been uploaded to the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/tidy_market/open_auction_coming.html). Details on renting public market stalls on a first-come, first-served basis will be uploaded to the FEHD website after open auctions (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/tidy_market/FCFS/index.html). Interested bidders or applicants may visit the department website or contact the respective District Environmental Hygiene Office.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question of the Hon Mrs Regina Ip and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (April 30):

Question:

     It has been reported that according to the population projections, the catchment population in the Hong Kong East Cluster and the Hong Kong West Cluster will be reduced to around one million in future, and that the authorities plan to merge the two clusters (the cluster merger) and will review afresh the second ten-year Hospital Development Plan (HDP), including the plan to expand the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) to provide 500 additional beds. In addition, the Secretary for Health indicated at the special meeting of the Panel on Health Services of this Council on February 21 this year that some specialty services would be adjusted after the cluster merger. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it knows the specific details of the cluster merger, including the arrangements for resource allocation and healthcare services of various hospitals after the merger, as well as the specialty services to be adjusted or merged;

(2) as it is learnt that after the cluster merger, chest pain treatment services will be centralised at the chest pain centre of Queen Mary Hospital (QMH), whereas the travelling time from Eastern District to QMH is long, and the roads are congested from time to time, how the authorities will ensure that after the merger, patients with acute heart diseases in Eastern District can be transferred in time to the chest pain centre of QMH for treatment within the “golden treatment time”;

(3) whether it knows if the emergency medical services (e.g. treatment of acute stroke, head trauma, etc.) and obstetric services of PYNEH will be cancelled after the cluster merger; if such services will be cancelled, how the authorities will ensure that emergency patients and pregnant women originally at PYNEH can receive timely and appropriate treatment or services;

(4) of the expected completion time for the review of the second ten-year HDP; whether it will consider commencing the expansion project of PYNEH upon the cessation of the operation of Chai Wan Laundry at the end of this year; if so, of the timetable of the project; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) whether it will consult the staff of PYNEH and representatives of the residents in Eastern District on the detailed arrangements for the cluster merger; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     In consultation with the Hospital Authority (HA), the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Mrs Regina Ip is as follows:

(1), (2) and (3) Clustering is an administrative arrangement for hospital management involving the delineation of medical facilities and clinical services according to their geographical locations to facilitate planning and service rationalisation. The HA plans to merge the Hong Kong East Cluster (HKEC) and Hong Kong West Cluster (HKWC) to achieve rationalisation of administration and management, streamlining of administrative procedures, sharing of resources for better cost-effectiveness and enhancement of operational and management efficiency. The plan also has the objectives of improving the overall quality of healthcare services, optimising treatment procedures, as well as enhancing the cost-effectiveness of the utilisation of resources through consolidating the governance structure and enhancing the complementary co-ordination of professional resources of the two clusters. After the merger, the existing acute and critical care hospitals, including the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH), the Ruttonjee Hospital, the Queen Mary Hospital (QMH), the Grantham Hospital and the St. John Hospital will continue to provide acute and critical care services, with general healthcare services and facilities being available to local residents within a reasonable geographical distance to ensure accessibility and convenience, in order that patients may receive a continuum of treatment under the same geographical setting.

     During the planning of services of varying complexity, the HA has all along followed the principle of “localising where possible, centralising where necessary” in designing the system and service networks inside and outside the clusters. It is anticipated that after the merger of the clusters, the majority of the existing patients will be able to continue receiving services in hospitals in the vicinity, including those using the Accident and Emergency services, the general out-patient services and general specialty services with high volume and relatively lower complexity (including medicine, geriatric, general surgery, orthopaedics and traumatology, paediatrics and allied health services) on the Hong Kong Island. Besides, the clusters have non-acute hospitals which render rehabilitation and convalescent in-patient services, psychiatric in-patient services, as well as day surgery services. Following the consolidation, the existing facilities of each hospital will continue to perform their current key functions and uphold their expertise while complementing the strengths of the other hospitals within the cluster, thereby providing comprehensive healthcare services in a more effective manner.

     There are some specialty services with a relatively lower demand whose operation involves personnel with specialised clinical techniques and qualifications, or require sophisticated equipment and advanced technology (such as the organ transplant services and the first chest pain centre established in accordance with national accreditation standards at QMH, and the hyperbaric oxygen treatment at PYNEH). For these services, centralisation of specialists, specialised equipment and complicated cases for handling at designated hospitals will be arranged, with due consideration given to the accessibility of the designated hospitals. The teams of medical experts can accumulate techniques and experiences through an extensive period in treating different complex cases of the same disease, facilitating their acquisition of the most up-to-date medical knowledge to bring about the best treatment outcomes for patients and hence enhancing the clinical quality indicators and minimising the risk of complications. Currently, the major hospitals on the Hong Kong Island have their respective expertise in specialty services. The professional medical teams of the merged cluster will be able to further focus on developing the strengths of their respective specialty services. In addition, by collaborating with various service provision points of the relevant specialty services within the cluster, healthcare services with even better quality will be provided to those of complex medical cases which constitutes only a small number of the patients.

     It is anticipated that the service consolidation will achieve comprehensive enhancement of the set-up of medical teams, strengthen the co-ordination and flexibility of deployment of manpower and other resources of clinical and non-clinical departments, as well as minimise duplication of resources. As a result, the quality of clinical services provided in the cluster will be enhanced in the long run, facilitating the development of specialist services and providing more opportunities for staff training and their accumulation of experiences. To dovetail with the consolidation of cluster services, the HA will, in accordance with the prevailing mechanism, consider and deliberate the major direction(s), work plans and targets of the cluster, through the formulation of the annual plan, with a view to allocating additional resources to services which are newly introduced and with pressing needs.

     Regarding the emergency healthcare services provided by PYNEH, such services would not cease after the merger of the clusters. The hospital will, as mentioned above, continue to provide services to the acute and critical care services after the consolidation of the clusters. Acute and critically ill patients residing in the Eastern District will therefore continue to receive timely and appropriate treatments at the PYNEH which is in the vicinity.

     On cardiology services, apart from the chest pain centre established in accordance with national accreditation standards, the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery (CTS) at QMH provides Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG) and supports the treatment of severe complications related to acute coronary heart diseases. In collaboration with the Cardiology and Anesthesia departments, it forms a multidisciplinary heart team that manages complex cases and utilises advanced technology to deliver optimal treatment to patients. In addition, QMH and the Grantham Hospital also offer treatment for end-stage heart failure patients, including the implantation of ventricular assist devices and heart transplantation. The consolidation of HKEC and HKWC would further facilitate the development of the specialist strengths and provide patients with cardiology services of better quality.

(4) The Government announced under the 2018 Policy Address that it has invited the HA to commence planning for the Second Hospital Development Plan (HDP) to meet the expected service demand up to 2036. With the changes in the planning and development situation of Hong Kong, the Health Bureau (HHB) and the HA are currently reviewing the Second HDP. Amongst others, in view of the city-wide and regional planning and development strategies as announced by the Planning Department, including the “Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030” and the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy, as well as the corresponding population projections of Hong Kong including the latest changes in overall population, its distribution and demographics, and the population policy and talent attraction initiatives of the Government, the HHB and the HA have to adopt a planning horizon of up to 2040 and beyond for the Second HDP, and to project healthcare services demand and consider the supply and conditions of the land required, for optimising the Second HDP. The Government also considers factors such as the needs for and cost-effectiveness of renovation, refurbishment, redevelopment or addition of facilities for individual hospitals, and the convenience of public access to healthcare services under various major transport infrastructure development plans for determining the distribution, scale and priority, etc. of various hospital development projects (including the expansion of PYNEH and the use of the Chai Wan Laundry site after its relocation). Upon completion of the review, the Government will announce the details of the Second HDP in due course.  

(5) The HA commenced the preparatory and engagement work for the consolidation of the hospital cluster services on Hong Kong Island early this year. Such work include seven staff forums and three workshop sessions which aim at briefing HA employees on the considerations of the cluster services consolidation and the future development of service provision, as well as listening to employees’ views. The consolidation of services is currently still at the stage of planning and deliberation. Regarding clinical services consolidation, the HA will set up task forces for particular specialties, initially to review existing services on the basis of facilitating the development of specialties and strengthening the existing service delivery models, while the next step will be to consider how to enhance the treatment procedures of patients as well as the efficiency and quality of the healthcare services. After the review, the HA will continue to communicate with stakeholders and service users on the overall direction of the development of the consolidation.