5 Aug 2023獨媒#8149
Hong Kong Plans to Ban Seafood from 10 Japanese Prefectures; Consul-General Says Japan Will Not Retaliate but Fears Impact on Hong Kong’s Image
日本最快今月排放福島第一核電站核污水。港府表明一旦日本排放「核廢水」，就會禁止10個日本縣的水產品進口。日本駐港總領事岡田健一接受本港電視台專訪，稱保證日本不會因港府此舉而「以牙還牙」，但憂慮這會損害香港聲譽，並提到在反修例事件後，香港在日本的形象已不太好。
Japan could begin discharging treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant as early as this month. The Hong Kong Government has said that if Japan discharges “nuclear wastewater”, it will ban imports of aquatic products from 10 Japanese prefectures. In an interview with a Hong Kong television station, Japanese Consul-General Kenichi Okada said he guaranteed that Japan would not “retaliate in kind” in response to the move, but expressed concern that it would damage Hong Kong’s reputation. He also said that Hong Kong’s image in Japan had already deteriorated after the anti-extradition bill protests.
4 Aug 2023獨媒#8142
CUHK amendment bill completes clause-by-clause scrutiny; second reading expected to resume in November
《2023年香港中文大學（修訂）條例草案》委員會今日舉行第3次會議，校長段崇智連續第三次缺席，他今日的理由為需進行醫療程序。多名議員認為段崇智迴避出席，工聯會梁子穎批評對方「逢親有事要嚟立法會，佢就會病」，認為是否應另聘一名「唔係成日病嘅校長」帶領中大。委員會今日完成逐條審議，將於10月向內務委員會提交報告，11月恢復二讀。
The Bills Committee on the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Amendment) Bill 2023 held its third meeting today. Vice-Chancellor and President Rocky Tuan was absent for the third consecutive time, citing the need to undergo a medical procedure. Several lawmakers said Tuan was avoiding attendance. The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions Dennis Tsz Wing Leung criticised him, saying, “Whenever there is something requiring him to come to the Legislative Council, he gets sick,” and questioned whether CUHK should instead hire a president who is “not sick all the time” to lead the university. The committee completed its clause-by-clause scrutiny today. It will submit a report to the House Committee in October, with the second reading expected to resume in November.
4 Aug 2023獨媒#8148
Science Park’s 10-Day “Happy Market” Draws Criticism Over Arrangements: “Don’t Know How to Use It,” “Just a Closed Circle,” “Won’t Come Again”
配合政府激發「興的動能」，科學園今日起一連十日舉辦「開心香港」市集，出售180款本地創科產品，又推出「開心香港餐」，和力銷仿效內地俗稱「刷掌」的付款方式「掌靜脈」支付。《獨媒》現場所見，人流不算多，為數不少是科學園職員或參展商人員遊走。有帶同女兒參觀的家長批評資訊不足，想參加的工作坊不知何時開始，結果要等足5小時，直言「我唔會再嚟」。至於「掌靜脈」，《獨媒》觀察到不少市民即使聽畢講解都不諳使用，有市民試用惟最終失敗，要改用信用卡支付。
To support the government’s efforts to generate “momentum for excitement”, the Hong Kong Science Park is holding a 10-day “Happy Hong Kong” market from today, selling 180 local innovation and technology products. It has also launched a “Happy Hong Kong meal” and promoted “palm vein” payment, a method modelled on the practice commonly known on the mainland as “palm scanning”. The Stand News observed that attendance was not particularly high, with many visitors milling around being Science Park employees or exhibitors’ staff. A parent visiting with her daughter criticised the lack of information about the event. She did not know when the workshop she wanted to attend would begin and ended up waiting five hours, saying plainly, “I won’t come again.” As for palm vein payment, The Stand News observed that many members of the public did not know how to use it even after hearing the explanation. One person tried it but ultimately failed and had to pay by credit card.
3 Aug 2023獨媒#8140
Civil service to increase short-term internship places to avoid university students “joining through misunderstanding and breaking up after getting to know it”
公務員流失問題嚴重，現時人手比編制少1.7萬人，立法會一個委員會討論如何留人和鼓勵年輕人加入政府。政府其中一招是開放更多職系，容許大學三年級或將升讀三年級的學生投考。有議員認為現時公務員工作「太死板」，內部規管又嚴，「公務員手冊越嚟越厚」。公務員事務局局長楊何蓓茵指，安排大學生實習有助認識工作，又會視他們如「家人」，相信可以避免「因誤會而結合、因了解而分手」。 至於規管問題，她表示部門管理層應了解「規條精髓」，不宜過份規管。
The civil service is facing serious staff losses, with its current workforce 17,000 below the establishment. A Legislative Council committee discussed ways to retain staff and encourage young people to join the government. One government measure is to open more grades to applications from university third-year students and those about to enter their third year. One legislator said civil service work was currently “too rigid” and that internal regulation was overly stringent, with “the Civil Service Handbook getting thicker and thicker”. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Hoey-lin said internships for university students would help them understand the work, and that they would also be treated like “family”; she believed this could prevent them from “joining through misunderstanding and breaking up after getting to know it”. On regulation, she said departmental management should understand “the essence of the rules” and should not regulate excessively.
3 Aug 2023獨媒#8141
National Security Department again takes wanted Yuen Gong-yi’s family members for questioning, including ex-wife and two children
警方國安處今早帶走被通緝的袁弓夷的三名家人，包括其第二任妻子YUEN Stephanie Downs、四兒子袁彌滿及五女袁彌淑調查問話。YUEN Stephanie Downs及袁彌滿今午一點半離開灣仔警察總部 。警方回覆《獨媒》查詢時確認，今日帶走一男兩女調查，涉嫌協助在逃人繼續從事危害國家安全行為。
The Police National Security Department took three family members of wanted Yuen Gong-yi away for questioning this morning, including his second wife, YUEN Stephanie Downs, fourth son Yuen Mei-moon and fifth daughter Yuen Mei-suk. YUEN Stephanie Downs and Yuen Mei-moon left Wan Chai Police Headquarters at 1:30pm. In response to an inquiry from The Independent, police confirmed that one man and two women had been taken away for investigation today on suspicion of assisting a fugitive to continue engaging in acts endangering national security.
2 Aug 2023獨媒#8126
Chris Tang Calls 2003 July 1 March an “External Forces” Pilot Project; Tung Chee-hwa Said Government’s Position Was Same as Public’s
保安局長鄧炳強於社交網站上載短片，重塑香港回歸以來的遊行示威歷史，將多場本地遊行示威，闡述成「國家安全事件」。他表示「外部勢力」回歸前已「處心積慮」，2003年七一遊行是「試點」，之後的反國教、2014年佔中、以及2019年的反修例示威中，將香港一步步「推向顏色革命嘅方向」。翻查資料，董建華政府在2003年七一遊行的聲明，字眼是「政府的立場和市民是一致的」，同樣重視人權和民主，又提及知道市民因為經濟轉營和失業受苦，隻字未提「外部勢力」；在翌年的七一遊行，董的政府更感謝市民對政府的批評，令施政得以改善。
Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung uploaded a video on social media recasting the history of demonstrations in Hong Kong since the handover, portraying several local protests as “national security incidents.” He said “external forces” had been plotting before the handover, that the 2003 July 1 march was a “pilot project,” and that the subsequent anti-national education protests, the 2014 Occupy Central movement and the 2019 protests against amendments to the extradition law had step by step “pushed Hong Kong in the direction of a colour revolution.” Records show that a statement by the Tung Chee-hwa administration on the 2003 July 1 march said that “the government’s position is the same as that of the public,” also emphasised human rights and democracy, and mentioned that it knew members of the public were suffering because of economic restructuring and unemployment, without mentioning “external forces” at all. At the July 1 march the following year, Tung’s administration further thanked the public for criticising the government, saying this enabled its governance to improve.
2 Aug 2023Cable#8127
Privacy Commissioner Updates Guidance on Election Activities, Clarifying Anti-Doxxing Law Applies to Voter Information
私隱專員公署更新《選舉活動指引》，列明禁止「起底」的法例要求適用於選民資料。
指引提醒任何人及組織如果未獲選民同意而披露當事人的個人資料，他的意圖或罔顧披露可能導致當事人或其家人蒙受傷害，即屬違法，可罰款10萬、監禁2年；如果造成實際傷害，最高可罰100萬元、監禁5年，相關「起底」的法例2021年10月已經生效。
港聞
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data has updated its Guidance on Election-related Activities, clarifying that the statutory requirements prohibiting doxxing apply to voter information. The guidance reminds individuals and organisations that it is an offence to disclose a person’s personal data without the voter’s consent if the disclosure is intended or reckless as to whether it may cause harm to the person or their family. The offence is punishable by a fine of $100,000 and two years’ imprisonment; if actual harm is caused, the maximum penalty is a fine of $1 million and five years’ imprisonment. The relevant anti-doxxing legislation came into effect in October 2021.
2 Aug 2023獨媒#8129
Kwok Wai-keung took helicopter after inspecting Tong Fuk Prison, denies requesting ride; Administration says justices of the peace may choose
平紳士沒有任何報酬，但在巡視懲教院所和監獄時，政府可提供交通工具包括車輛、船隻、甚至直升機。工聯會立法會議員郭偉強在Facebook 分享，周二（8月1日）前往大嶼山塘福懲教院所巡視，及後乘坐政府飛行服務隊直升機，並在社交媒體分享立法會高空照。郭偉強向《獨媒》表示，兩日前獲相關部門通知獲安排以直升機代步，他強調並非由他提出，此前未曾以太平紳士身份乘搭直升機。行政署則提供不一樣說法，指太平紳士可選擇交通工具，若選擇直升機，太平紳士秘書處會聯絡飛行服務隊安排。根據保安局2021年回覆立法會數字，政府飛行服務隊不同機型執行每小時任務的開支，由20,590元至22,300元不等。
Justices of the peace receive no remuneration, but the Government may provide transport—including vehicles, boats and even helicopters—when they inspect correctional institutions and prisons. Legislative Council member Kwok Wai-keung of the Federation of Trade Unions said on Facebook that he inspected Tong Fuk Correctional Institution on Lantau Island on Tuesday (August 1), then travelled by a Government Flying Service helicopter and shared an aerial photograph of the Legislative Council on social media. Kwok told Independent Media that a relevant department informed him two days earlier that helicopter transport had been arranged, stressing that he had not requested it and had never previously travelled by helicopter as a justice of the peace. The Administration provided a different account, saying justices of the peace may choose their mode of transport; if they choose a helicopter, the Justices of the Peace Secretariat will contact the Government Flying Service to make arrangements. According to figures in the Security Bureau’s 2021 reply to the Legislative Council, the operating cost per hour of a mission by different Government Flying Service aircraft types ranged from HK$20,590 to HK$22,300.
2 Aug 2023獨媒#8130
Our Hong Kong Foundation Calls for Private Development of San Tin Technopole, Proposes In-Situ Land Exchange and Bond Issuance
政府就「新田科技城」為期兩個月的公眾諮詢周六（5日）截止，團結香港基金周三（2日）發表倡議報告，提出5大政策方向，合共13項建議，吸引私人發展。其中包括以「直接批地」方式取代公開投標、將原址換地的適用範圍延伸至創科用途、准許興建「只租不賣」的人才公寓，以及推出「新田科技城發展債券」，讓業權人成為科技城的共同投資者。
The Government’s two-month public consultation on the San Tin Technopole will close on Saturday (the 5th). Our Hong Kong Foundation released a proposal report on Wednesday (the 2nd), setting out five policy directions and 13 recommendations in total to attract private development. These include replacing open tender with direct land grants, extending the application of in-situ land exchange to innovation and technology uses, allowing the construction of “rental-only” talent apartments, and launching San Tin Technopole development bonds to enable landowners to become co-investors in the technopole.
1 Aug 2023光傳媒#8116
HKEX drops requirement to disclose China risks at listing; BlackRock says mainland-Hong Kong regulatory differences are important risk factor
港交所今日實施《上市規則》新修訂，公司申請上市（IPO）時，無需披露與中國相關的業務風險。《光傳媒》翻查資料，港交所早前諮詢相關修訂時，全球最大資產管理公司貝萊德（BlackRock）表明反對，指中港法規差異是投資者需要注意的重要風險因素（risk factor）；另一間不具名資管公司指，修訂無助市場健全。經濟學者關焯照指，不披露風險降低透明度，令投資者更有戒心。
The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited today implemented amendments to the Listing Rules, meaning companies applying for an initial public offering (IPO) no longer need to disclose China-related business risks. The Light Media reviewed the relevant information and found that BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, had opposed the amendments during HKEX’s earlier consultation, saying differences between mainland Chinese and Hong Kong regulations are an important risk factor for investors to note. Another unnamed asset management company said the amendments would not help market soundness. Economist Andy Cheuk Chiu Kwan said that not disclosing the risks reduces transparency and makes investors more wary.
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
