MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Lands Department today (July 17) posted land resumption notices in accordance with section 4 of the Lands Resumption Ordinance (Chapter 124) to resume land at Nga Tsin Wai Road/Carpenter Road in Kowloon City for the implementation of an urban renewal project.
 
The project was included in the Urban Renewal Authority’s Business Plan for 2022-23, and its implementation will help improve the overall living environment in the area. The project site, with a gross area of about 37 061 square metres, will be redeveloped for residential use with retail/commercial facilities, at-grade landscaped diversified space, as well as underground ancillary parking and loading/unloading facilities. The project will also provide a public vehicle park and government, institution or community facilities.
 
A total of 1 009 property interests at the project site will be resumed by the Government. The affected interests will revert to the Government on the expiration of three months from the date of affixing the land resumption notices (i.e. October 18, 2025).
 
Apart from statutory compensation, eligible owners of domestic properties will also be offered an ex-gratia home purchase allowance or a supplementary allowance as appropriate. Eligible domestic tenants will be offered rehousing or an ex-gratia allowance.

Eligible commercial property occupiers, including owners and tenants, may opt for an ex-gratia allowance in lieu of the right to claim statutory compensation for business and related losses.

If statutory claims made by the affected owners and tenants of both domestic and commercial properties under the Lands Resumption Ordinance cannot be settled by agreement, the owners and tenants may apply to the Lands Tribunal for adjudication. Professional fees reasonably incurred by the claimants in making such claims may be reimbursed by the Government.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present a cross-cultural music lecture series entitled “When Chinese landscape painting meets Western classical music” from September to October. The eight-lecture series, hosted by music critic William Ting, will explore the connections between Chinese landscape painting and Western classical music through appreciating works of Chinese and Western artists from various perspectives. The programme will also feature live demonstrations by pianist Chung Chi-woo and qin musician Chung Siu-sun in different lectures, offering audiences a fresh perspective on viewing paintings and appreciating music.
 
     Details of each lecture are as follows:

Lecture 1: “Connect: The Meeting Point of Chinese Painting and Western Music” 
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Date: September 5 (Friday)
Piano demonstration: Chung Chi-woo

To provide an overview of the stylistic features and characteristics of Chinese landscape painting and Western classical music across different periods, examining the intersections between them and the similarities in their historical development.

Lecture 2: “Sublime: Fan Kuan and J.S. Bach” 
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Date: September 12 (Friday)
Piano demonstration: Chung Chi-woo
 
     To explore the connections between the works of Northern Song dynasty painter Fan Kuan and Baroque music master Bach, and discuss the intersection of “Travelers Among Mountains and Streams” and “The Art of Fugue”, two masterpieces in the history of Chinese painting and Western music.

Lecture 3: “Transcendent Elegance: Ni Zan and Mozart”
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Date: September 19 (Friday)
Piano demonstration: William Ting
 
     Through appreciating the works of Yuan dynasty painter Ni Zan and Western classical music composer Mozart, in an attempt to reveal the inner worlds of the two artists while exploring the aesthetic significance and similarities behind their creations.

Lecture 4: “Visual Melodies: Sound and Music in the Paintings”
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Date: September 26 (Friday)
Guqin demonstration and explanation: Chung Siu-sun
 
     Featuring a selection of Chinese landscape paintings and Western paintings to explore how to “listen” to the artworks’ audible elements, or how to integrate melodies and musical forms into the paintings with lines and colours, thereby discovering these “visible” sounds.
 
Lecture 5: “Ancient Worshipping: Dong Qichang and Brahms”
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Date: October 10 (Friday)
Piano demonstration: Chung Chi-woo
 
     Through examining the works of Ming dynasty painter Dong Qichang and Western classical music composer Brahms, to explore how they both “imitated” their ancient masters while forging new paths for future generations, illustrating the close relationship between arts development and the social environment of their time.
 
Lecture 6: “The Beauty of Ugliness: Shitao and Beethoven”
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Date: October 17 (Friday)
Piano demonstration: Chung Chi-woo
 
     To explore how the works of Qing dynasty painter Shitao and Western classical music composer Beethoven take ugliness as a kind of beauty, subverting the aesthetic traditions of their time, thereby offering new perspectives for interpreting these “ugly” creations.
 
Lecture 7: “Deliberate Blank: Silence and Emptiness in Music and Painting”
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Date: October 24 (Friday)
Piano demonstration: Chung Chi-woo

     To analyse how the technique of “deliberate blank” in Chinese ink painting infuses works with “spiritual energy” and stimulates the viewers’ imagination, and how different uses of “silence” in Western music express emotions and imbue music with deeper meaning.
 
Lecture 8: “Inner Beauty: Fou Ts’ong and Huang Binhong”
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Date: October 31 (Friday)
Piano demonstration: William Ting
 
     To explore how the essence of Chinese culture is reflected in the musical approach of pianist Fou Ts’ong from the perspective of musical interpretation, and how these relate to painter Huang Binhong’s works.
 
     William Ting graduated from Hong Kong Baptist University and received his Master Degree in Historical Musicology from Royal Holloway, University of London. He is currently a life member of the International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong). As a local music critic, Ting’s writings are widely published in art magazines, newspapers and online. As a musicologist, Ting has conducted numerous public lectures in recent years including Baroque Music Lecture Series: Bach & Beyond in 2022.
 
     Chung Chi-woo earned his Master Degree in Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music in the United States. He has performed solo recitals and chamber performances across Europe and the United States and participated in many music festivals and master classes. Chung Siu-sun is a pupil of seasoned virtuoso of guqin Sou Si-tai, studying both guqin and xiao. He contributed his guqin expertise to the album “Gem of Ci Poetry Music” in recent years. He is currently the general officer of the Deyin Qin Society. 
 
     All lectures will be conducted in Cantonese and start at 7.30pm in the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum. Each lecture will run for about one hour and 30 minutes. Tickets priced at $80 (for each lecture, with free seating) are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1886.html.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The “Great Music 2025”, presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, will continue to present a series of spectacular performances from September to November, featuring numerous world-class musicians and a celebrated orchestra, showcasing the city’s unique charm as an international centre of arts and culture.

Details of the programmes are as follows:————————————————————————————–
Date and time: September 14 (Sunday), 8pm
Venue: Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
Ticket prices: $250 to $550————————————————————————————–
Date and time: October 21 (Tuesday), 8pm
Venue: Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
Ticket prices: $200 to $420————————————————————————————–
Date and time: November 17 (Monday), 8pm
Venue: Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
Ticket prices: $220 to $480————————————————————————————–
Date and time: November 20 and 21 (Thursday and Friday), 8pm
Venue: Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Ticket prices: $450 to $1,450—————————————————————————————–
Date and time: November 22 (Saturday), 8pm
Venue: Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
Ticket prices: $280 to $880

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Drinking Water Safety Advisory Committee (DWSAC) held a meeting today (July 16) and received a briefing from the Water Supplies Department (WSD) on the investigation report concerning the water quality incident at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court. The report aims to outline the WSD’s tracing work, covering the entire fresh water supply network from the Ping Che Fresh Water Service Reservoir to Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court, along with related analysis and findings, and recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.
 
The Chairman of the DWSAC, Dr Chan Hon-fai, said that the tracing work conducted by the WSD was objective and scientific. The DWSAC agreed with the WSD’s findings that the black sediments in fresh water, identified as bituminous materials, originated from a 400-metre-long steel pipe with internal bituminous protective lining at Ping Che Road, which is located upstream in the water supply network of the estates. The sediments also contained a trace amount of blue fragments, which were identified as resin from the internal protective coating of valves in the water pipelines. A source of the fragments was found to be a valve located at Lung Ma Road outside the estates. The DWSAC agreed to continue the identification and replacement of any defective valves in the estates.
 
The DWSAC noted that the WSD and the Housing Department had carried out a series of joint operations over the past month. These included increasing the frequency of flushing the underground fresh water pipes along Lung Ma Road and within the estates, cleansing the water tanks in each building of the estates, and installing additional strainers at the existing filtering devices within the estates. The DWSAC noted that the prevailing water quality had resumed normal. The WSD will explore whether new technologies can be adopted to ensure effective cleansing and eliminate the possibility of sediment in the water pipes.
 
In addition, the DWSAC agreed with several recommendations put forward by the WSD, including the gradual replacement of steel water pipes with bituminous protective lining. This can effectively prevent recurrence of similar incidents in the future. The WSD reported to the DWSAC that it had promptly replaced a section of the underground water pipe with bituminous protective lining at Ping Che Road with an exposed temporary water pipe, and would strive to complete the laying of a new permanent underground water pipe by the end of this year.
 
The DWSAC asked the WSD to expedite the implementation of these improvement measures and expected the WSD to provide further progress updates before the end of this year.
 
The WSD’s investigation report (Chinese only) has been uploaded to the following website: www.wsd.gov.hk/en/core-businesses/water-quality/water-quality-incident/index.html

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (July 16) said that there was an outbreak of Chikungunya fever (CF) in Shunde, Guangdong, in July this year, which was triggered by imported cases. As of July 15, there were 478 confirmed cases, all of which presented with mild symptoms. Although no confirmed CF cases have been recorded in Hong Kong so far this year, the CHP has been preparing for the risk of imported cases as a prudent measure, and will continue to closely monitor the trend of CF in neighbouring areas.
 
CF is a mosquito-borne disease, and a statutory notifiable infectious diseases in Hong Kong. Its symptoms are similar to those of dengue fever (DF). Patients with CF typically presented with fever and joint pain. Other common symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. While most patients recover on their own, in some cases, joint pain may persist for several months or even years. The mortality rate of CF is generally lower than that of DF. From 2016 to 2019, between one and 11 CF cases were recorded in Hong Kong each year. All of which were imported cases. There have been no CF cases in Hong Kong since 2020.
 
According to the World Health Organization, CF cases have been recorded in more than 110 countries/regions. As of early June this year, over 220 000 cases had been reported in 14 countries/regions worldwide (including the Mainland, Taiwan and Singapore which are popular tourist destinations for Hong Kong citizens). Of these cases, about 80 were fatal.
 
“Although Aedes aegypti, the primary vector for spreading CF, is not found in Hong Kong, Aedes albopictus, another vector that can transmit CF, is a common mosquito species in Hong Kong. Imported cases of CF can lead to local transmission if they are bitten by mosquitoes during the communicable period. Inadequate mosquito control also poses a risk of CF outbreaks. Therefore, members of the public should remain vigilant. Mosquito control is of paramount importance, including eliminating mosquito breeding sites and avoiding mosquito bites. Members of the public are advised to maintain mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and when travelling outside of Hong Kong. Those returning from areas affected by CF should apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival in Hong Kong. If they feel unwell, they should seek medical advice promptly and provide their travel details to a doctor,” said the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui.
 
“According to the information provided by Guangdong Province, the current CF outbreak mainly occurred in the towns of Lecong, Beijiao and Chencun in Shunde, which are not popular tourist destinations for Hong Kong citizens. However, the risk of imported cases in Hong Kong has increased due to frequent travel between Guangdong and Hong Kong. In the light of the situation in Shunde, the DH has stepped up the provision of health advice to travellers on prevention of mosquito bites and reminded travellers returning to Hong Kong that they should seek medical treatment or contact port health staff for assistance as soon as possible if they develop symptoms. Suspected cases will be referred to medical institutions for follow-up. The CHP’s Port Health Division (PHD) will step up inspections at boundary control points to ensure good environmental hygiene and vector control measures are in place. It will also continue to conduct health promotions (including reminding travellers to adopt anti-mosquito measures during outbound trips), and maintain close liaison with relevant stakeholders (e.g. airlines and the travel industry) to provide the latest disease information and health advice timely. In addition, the CHP has issued a letter to all doctors and hospitals in Hong Kong providing the latest epidemiological information and urging them to pay attention to the presence of relevant symptoms among those who return to Hong Kong after outbound travel. They should also refer any CF case to hospitals for treatment and report it to the DH immediately in accordance with the established mechanism, so that the DH can initiate epidemiological investigations and implement prevention and control measures. The Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the CHP will conduct tests on suspected cases. Furthermore, the CHP has notified the Hospital Authority to raise alertness and make relevant contingency preparations in public hospitals as appropriate,” Dr Tsui added.
 
DH will continue to step up health education on mosquito-borne diseases, including disseminating travel health advice to travellers and enhancing public education on the prevention of CF through various online and offline channels. The Environment and Ecology Bureau will remind relevant bureaux and departments, as well as trade stakeholders, to step up territory-wide mosquito prevention and control work. The interdepartmental Pest Control Steering Committee will convene a meeting on July 23 to review the latest situation of mosquito proliferation and the anti-mosquito work of departments, and to plan for the anti- mosquito work for the future.
 
To prevent mosquito-borne diseases, members of the public are also reminded to take heed of the following advice on mosquito control:

• Thoroughly check all gully traps, roof gutters, surface channels and drains to prevent blockage;
• Scrub and clean drains and surface channels with an alkaline detergent compound at least once a week to remove any deposited mosquito eggs;
• Properly dispose of refuse, such as soft drink cans, empty bottles and boxes, in covered litter containers;
• Completely change the water of flowers and plants at least once a week. The use of saucers should be avoided if possible;
• Level irregular ground surfaces before the rainy season;
• Avoid staying in shrubby areas; and
• Take personal protective measures such as wearing light-coloured long-sleeved clothes and trousers, and apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothing or uncovered areas of the body when doing outdoor activities.

 
DEET-containing insect repellents are effective and the public should take heed of the tips below:
 

• Read the label instructions carefully first;
• Apply right before entering an area with risk of mosquito bites;
• Apply on exposed skin and clothing;
• Use DEET of up to 30 per cent for pregnant women and up to 10 per cent for children*;
• Apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent; and
• Reapply only when needed and follow the instructions.

* For children who travel to countries or areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic or epidemic and where exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can use DEET-containing insect repellents with a DEET concentration of up to 30 per cent.
 
The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems and may visit the following pages for more information: the Chikungunya fever page of the CHP and the Travel Health Service, the latest Travel Health News, tips for using insect repellents, and the CHP Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     A Hong Kong male resident charged with three counts of conspiracy to defraud was convicted and sentenced to 22 months’ imprisonment by Shatin Magistrates’ Courts yesterday (July 15).

During the follow-up investigation on a case of a bogus marriage middleman by the Outside Investigation Section of the Immigration Department (ImmD), the 63-year-old defendant was found to have contracted marriages with three Mainland residents respectively from 2004 to 2013. Since the marital relationship between the defendant and the Mainland residents was in doubt, an investigation was conducted against him.

The defendant under caution admitted that under the arrangement of a middleman, he was paid $7,000-$20,000 as monetary reward to contract bogus marriages with the three Mainland residents for assisting them to obtain visit endorsements and residence status in Hong Kong. An investigation of other suspects is still underway, and the ImmD does not rule out the possibility of further arrests.

“The ImmD is very concerned about non-Hong Kong residents staying in Hong Kong by means of a marriage of convenience, and will continue to spare no effort in combating the related illicit activities. For people who have obtained their residence in Hong Kong by fraudulent means, their Hong Kong identity card and residence status will be invalidated according to the laws of Hong Kong. They will also be subject to removal back to their place of origin,” the ImmD spokesman stressed.

“According to the Immigration Ordinance, any person who makes any statement or representation which he knows to be false or does not believe to be true to immigration officers commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution, and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and the same penalties. Moreover, according to Crimes Ordinance, anyone who commits the offence of conspiracy to defraud is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years,” the ImmD spokesman warned.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Lillian Kwok and a reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (July 16):

Question:

     Integrated education has been implemented in Hong Kong since 1997 to provide comprehensive learning support for students with special educational needs (SEN students) to help them integrate into mainstream schools, and a three-tier intervention model is currently adopted by public sector schools to provide support for students with different needs, including SEN students. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of SEN students currently studying in mainstream secondary schools, primary schools and kindergartens, with a breakdown by public sector, private and Direct Subsidy Scheme schools; the number of students currently supported by each tier of the three-tier intervention model in public sector schools, as well as the amount of the Learning Support Grant involved;

(2) of the respective numbers of SEN students who dropped out from school, pursued further studies upon graduation and took up employment upon graduation in the past three years; among them, the respective numbers of SEN students from mainstream schools and special schools who were enrolled in Shine Skills Centre upon graduation; and

(3) whether it will regularly review and update the employment support policies for SEN students in mainstream secondary schools, including studying the provision of vocational and professional education and training for them and assisting them in taking Qualifications Framework-recognised programmes in schools, so as to enable them to better plan for their future career development; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

The Government attaches great importance to supporting students with special educational needs (SEN) and has continuously provided additional resources for the diversified and comprehensive learning support for these students. A dual-track mode is adopted at the primary and secondary levels, which is, subject to the assessment and recommendations of professionals and with the consent of parents, the Education Bureau (EDB) will refer students with more severe or multiple disabilities to aided special schools for intensive support services. Other students with SEN will attend ordinary schools to receive integrated education (IE). For the 2024-25 financial year, the Government’s expenditures on special education and IE are around 3.9 billion and 4.1 billion respectively, representing a significant increase compared to previous years.

Our key replies to the questions raised by the Hon Lillian Kwok are as follows:

(1) The EDB has all along been encouraging ordinary schools to implement IE with the Whole School Approach and adopt a three-tier intervention model to support students with SEN. Tier-1 support aims for early identification and quality teaching in regular classroom with a view to catering for all students with diverse learning and adjustment needs. Tier-2 support arranges additional support for students with persistent learning or adjustment difficulties, such as small group learning and after-school remedial programmes. Tier-3 support provides individualised intensive support for students with persistent and severe learning or adjustment difficulties, including drawing up of Individual Education Plans. In the 2024/25 school year, the number of students with SEN enrolled in public sector ordinary schools is 67 870. The detailed breakdown by type of schools is in Annex 1.

Under the three-tier intervention model, the tier of support provided for students with SEN will be adjusted from time to time according to their learning progress and actual circumstances at different stages of development. Schools should determine the tier of support required for students, having taken into consideration students’ needs, and make adjustments with respect to teaching, curriculum and assessment. According to the reports submitted by public sector ordinary schools via the Special Education Management Information System, the numbers of students requiring tier-2 and tier-3 support, as at January 2025, were about 62 900 and 4 360 respectively.

To help public sector ordinary schools implement IE, the EDB has been providing them with additional manpower and resources on top of the regular subvention. The EDB provides Learning Support Grant (LSG) based on the number of students with SEN in a school in each school year and the unit grant rate corresponding to the tier of support they require, on the basis of “individual calculation”. The grant rates of LSG are about $16,000 and $64,000 per student per year. Schools can flexibly deploy LSG according to the principle of “holistic deployment” and pool together various resources to provide appropriate educational services for students with SEN. Schools should include a review of the resources used to support students with SEN in their annual school reports, and upload the information onto their school websites.

(2) and (3) The Government provides 12 years’ free primary and secondary education to all children through public sector schools to ensure that all students of appropriate age can receive elementary education. As regards special schools, students generally graduate and leave school after completing Secondary Six. However, to help students prepare for life after school, special schools develop specialised curricula, such as community training, practical workshops and pre-employment training, to cultivate students’ independent living skills, develop their potential, and integrate them into society. Schools also assist students in planning and applying for post-school arrangements based on their interests, abilities, and service needs. Based on the data collected by the EDB from various types of special schools, the number of Secondary Six graduates from special schools in the 2021/22 to 2023/24 school years has consistently exceeded 500 each year. The numbers of those taking up open employment, pursuing further studies and enrolling in Shine Skills Centre are provided in Annex 2.

As for the students with SEN receiving IE in ordinary schools, with the development of multiple study and progressive pathways in recent years, schools offer a wide range of Life Planning Education and career exploration activities so that all students in ordinary schools can choose from the multiple pathways upon completion of senior secondary education according to their personal interests, abilities and educational needs, which include pursuing further studies in post-secondary institutions, receiving vocational and professional education and training (VPET), taking other courses, pursuing further studies in other regions or employment. In addition, the EDB continues to strengthen professional training for teachers with a view to equipping them with knowledge and skills to support students, and provide information on different industries, multiple pathways and further studies, etc, on the Life Planning Information Website for the reference of all students, teachers and parents.

Under the prevailing secondary academic structure, schools can also offer school-based Qualifications Framework-recognised programmes, including VPET-related programmes, to support early career planning of students. Students with SEN may also apply for relevant Higher Diploma and Diploma programmes of the Vocational Training Council (VTC). The VTC will make arrangements according to the different needs of students with SEN, so as to cater for their increasingly diverse needs and effectively enhance their learning skills to equip them for future employment.

According to the information collected by the EDB from the public sector and Direct Subsidy Scheme ordinary secondary schools, the total number of Secondary Six graduates with SEN in ordinary secondary schools who pursued further studies and took up employment from the 2021/22 to 2023/24 school years has exceeded 3 000 each year, with detailed figures provided in Annex 3.

Thank you, President.