Hong Kong – SDEV to attend Mainland and Hong Kong Construction Forum 2024 in Guangzhou
SDEV to attend Mainland and Hong Kong Construction Forum 2024 in Guangzhou
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The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, will depart for Guangzhou tomorrow afternoon (March 25) to attend the Mainland and Hong Kong Construction Forum 2024 to be held on March 26 morning. She will also meet and have an exchange with representatives of the major organisers after arriving at Guangzhou tomorrow.
With the theme of “Deepening the Collaboration of the Construction Industry in the Mainland and Hong Kong, Building a High Quality Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Taking Forward the Belt and Road Initiative Together”, the forum is jointly organised by the Centre of Science and Technology Industrial Development of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD), the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangdong Province and the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, under the steer of the MOHURD, the People’s Government of Guangdong Province and the Development Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.
The Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau; the Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr Michael Fong; and the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Eric Pang, will join the visit.
Ms Linn will return to Hong Kong on March 26 afternoon. During her absence, the Under Secretary for Development, Mr David Lam, will be the Acting Secretary for Development.
Number of Mainland visitors during Chinese New Year Golden Week exceeded level of same period in 2018
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During the eight-day Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland, the Immigration Department preliminarily recorded a total of around 1.436 million inbound visitors to Hong Kong, among which around 1.255 million Mainland visitors coming to Hong Kong through various sea, land and air control points. The daily average of Mainland visitors was around 157 000, which exceeded that of the Labour Day Holiday and National Day Golden Week in 2023 by 25.3 per cent and 14.9 per cent respectively. The number of daily Mainland visitor arrivals also exceeded the daily average of the same period in 2018.
Arrival of Mainland visitors peaked on February 12 (the third day of Lunar New Year) with around 186 000 visitors arriving in Hong Kong. Express Rail Link West Kowloon received the highest daily average number of Mainland visitors, followed by Lo Wu.
AFCD charges Mainland fishermen suspected of illegal fishing in Hong Kong waters (with photo)
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Mainland resident jailed for making false representation
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Mainland visitor jailed for making false representation
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Hong Kong – Number of Mainland visitors during Chinese New Year Golden Week exceeded level of same period in 2018
A Government spokesman said today (February 18) that the eight-consecutive-day Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland (February 10 to 17) ended yesterday (February 17). The total numbers of inbound and Mainland visitors have reached and exceeded the levels of the same period in 2018 respectively. Various arrangements for receiving visitors were rolled out smoothly and visitors offered positive feedback generally. The tourism industry in Hong Kong will sustain its development momentum this year.
The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, said, “We thank various government departments, tourism-related organisations, etc for their utmost efforts in providing good travel experiences to our visitors during the Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland. The number of Mainland visitors during the Golden Week has exceeded the level in the same period in 2018, intensifying the city’s ambience and also increasing the income of the catering and retail industry. The major events during Chinese New Year, including the night parade, the fireworks display, the horse race, and the Chinese New Year Cup, were very popular and created vibrant vibes. I believe visitors can feel the intense festive ambience of Chinese New Year and the unique metropolitan glamour of Hong Kong. To attract and welcome visitors, the Government will review its work on different fronts to facilitate future co-ordination and enhancement of visitors’ experience.”
A large number of visitors went to various major tourist attractions in Hong Kong during the Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland, including the West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park, Ngong Ping 360, the Peak Tram, Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin, the Wishing Tree in Lam Tsuen of Tai Po, Wong Tai Sin Temple, etc, and the ambience was good. In addition, according to the trade, the overall hotel occupancy rate reached 90 per cent in the first few days of the Golden Week and exceeded 80 per cent for the Golden Week period. Different catering and retail spots were also benefited.
According to the Travel Industry Authority’s registration information, around 1 980 Mainland inbound tour groups visited Hong Kong during the Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland, involving around 66 000 visitors which account for around 5.3 per cent of the overall number.
Hong Kong – AFCD charges Mainland fishermen suspected of illegal fishing in Hong Kong waters (with photo)
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) today (December 4) laid charges against three Mainland men on board a Mainland vessel suspected of engaging in illegal fishing in Hong Kong waters off Sheung Pak Nai.
Marine Police officers intercepted a Mainland vessel suspected to be carrying out illegal fishing activities in the above-mentioned waters at about noon yesterday (December 3) while on duty, and notified the AFCD.
After investigation, charges were laid today against the three men who were suspected to have violated the Fisheries Protection Ordinance (Cap. 171). They will appear at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (December 5).
According to the Ordinance, only a registered local fishing vessel can be used for fishing in Hong Kong waters. Regardless of the type of fishing gear used, a non-local fishing vessel is not allowed to carry out fishing activities in Hong Kong waters. Any offender, on conviction, is liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for six months.
An AFCD spokesman said, “The Government is committed to combatting illegal fishing activities in Hong Kong waters. The AFCD will maintain close liaison with relevant law enforcement departments, continue to step up patrols and take stringent enforcement action.”Hong Kong – Mainland resident jailed for making false representation
A Mainland resident was charged at the Sha Tin Magistrates’ Courts with three counts of making false representation to an Immigration Department (ImmD) staff member, and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment yesterday (October 5).
The 31-year-old male defendant was admitted as a student to Hong Kong in 2017 to study at a local university. After graduation in 2018, the defendant submitted three entry permit applications under Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates to the ImmD from 2019 to 2020, and reported that he was employed by three local companies respectively. Upon an assessment of the cases, the ImmD verified those three companies and discovered that their reported addresses were false. The three entry permit applications of the defendant were all refused and the ImmD thus began an investigation against the defendant.
The defendant admitted under caution that through the arrangement of false employment contracts by an employment agency in 2019, he falsely claimed to the ImmD that he was employed by local companies in order to facilitate his entry permit applications. The said agency had arranged those three companies to be his companies of employment. Nevertheless, the defendant held no knowledge of those companies. The defendant pleaded guilty to the three charges of making false representation to Immigration staff and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by the Sha Tin Magistrates’ Courts yesterday.
“Under the laws of Hong Kong, any person who makes false representation to an Immigration officer commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, subject to the maximum penalty of a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years,” an ImmD spokesman said.Hong Kong – Mainland visitor jailed for making false representation
A Mainland visitor was convicted of two counts of making false representation to an Immigration Department (ImmD) staff member and sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts today (August 4).
The 52-year-old male defendant arrived in Hong Kong at the Lo Wu Control Point on August 2, 2023. He falsely told an Immigration Officer that he was in transit to Bangkok, Thailand, and presented his People’s Republic of China passport and an electronic air ticket showing that he was departing on the following day. He was then granted entry to Hong Kong. When the defendant intended to depart for Macao on the same day at the Macau Ferry Terminal Control Point, he was intercepted for further examination. He again falsely claimed that he would come back to Hong Kong and depart for Thailand on the following day after his trip to Macao. Upon further investigation, he admitted that his actual purpose of visit was not for sightseeing in Hong Kong or transiting through Hong Kong to Thailand but only for visiting Macao.
The arrested Mainland visitor was charged with two counts of making false representation to an Immigration Officer at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts today. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment for each offence, with part of the sentence to run consecutively, making a total of nine months’ imprisonment.
The ImmD spokesman warned that, under the laws of Hong Kong, any person who makes false representation to an Immigration Officer commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty will be a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years.Ads
