17 Jul 2023獨媒#8004
Radio and TV National Security Programmes Not Required to Meet Impartiality Rules, Communications Authority Says, to Avoid Legal Risk from Opposing Views
通訊事務管理局今日（17日）就放寬或更新電視及電台節目和廣告標準業務守則的建議，展開公眾諮詢。局方提出11項建議，其中包括明確指出須確保節目持平的規定，不適用於有關國民教育、國民身分認同和正確認識《香港國安法》的節目。局方解釋，如持牌機構為了符合持平規定，而在節目內加入反對《國安法》的言論，可能會令機構承受犯法風險。
The Communications Authority today (17th) launched a public consultation on proposals to relax or update the Codes of Practice on programme and advertising standards for television and radio. The Authority put forward 11 proposals, including explicitly stating that the requirement to ensure programme impartiality would not apply to programmes concerning national education, national identity and a correct understanding of the Hong Kong National Security Law. The Authority explained that if a licensed broadcaster included views opposing the National Security Law in a programme in order to comply with the impartiality requirement, it could expose the broadcaster to the risk of committing an offence.
14 Jul 2023獨媒#7987
EU Lifts Japan Food Restrictions on Scientific Grounds; Hong Kong Government to Ban Seafood from 10 Prefectures if Nuclear Wastewater Is Discharged
日本最快下月排放福島第一核電站核污水，港府的「反制」如箭在弦，食環署食安中心更新網頁，指一旦日本排放「核廢水」就會禁止源自「東京、福島、千葉、栃木、茨城、群馬、宮城、新潟、長野和埼玉」共10個縣的水產品進口。不過與此同時，歐盟宣布撤銷10個縣的食品進口限制，其聲明表示決定是基於科學以及國際原子能機構的評估。
Japan could discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station as early as next month. The Hong Kong government’s “countermeasures” are ready: the Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department updated its website, stating that seafood imports from 10 prefectures—Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama—would be banned if Japan discharges “nuclear wastewater”. Meanwhile, the European Union announced the lifting of food import restrictions on the 10 prefectures, saying the decision was based on scientific grounds and the International Atomic Energy Agency’s assessment.
14 Jul 2023獨媒#7989
Michael Tien: Zheng Yanxiong’s Remarks Confirm Roundtable Has Not Taken the Wrong Path
立法會相隔5年後再次宴請中聯辦，中聯辦主任鄭雁雄今午獲邀出席。多名議員均稱讚鄭雁雄親切，實政桌田北辰更指，在午宴中聽到鄭雁雄「批評都係為香港好」的言論後，內心有莫大感受，因自己常被批評為「壞孩子」、「二五仔」等，但聽完發言後認為實政圓桌「咁多年來冇行錯路」，籲其他議員要「安心放膽啲」提出意見。
The Legislative Council hosted the Liaison Office again after a five-year gap, with its director, Zheng Yanxiong, invited to attend this afternoon. Several lawmakers praised Zheng as approachable. Michael Tien of Roundtable said he was deeply moved after hearing Zheng say at the luncheon that “criticism is also for Hong Kong’s good”. Tien said he was often criticised as a “bad boy” and a “traitor”, but after hearing the remarks, he believed Roundtable “has not taken the wrong path all these years”. He urged other lawmakers to put forward their views “more confidently and boldly”.
14 Jul 2023獨媒#7990
Strategic Transport Study Proposes a One-Hour Commuting Circle in the Greater Bay Area, with Hung Shui Kiu Station as a Hub
運輸及物流局在2021年年底展開《交通運輸策略性研究》，今日（7月14日）向立法會交通事務委員會匯報研究最新進展。《研究》提及推動「大灣區一小時通勤圈」，並倡擬建的屯馬綫洪水橋站，打造為「新一代運輸交匯樞紐」。
The Transport and Logistics Bureau launched the Strategic Transport Study at the end of 2021 and reported its latest progress to the Legislative Council Panel on Transport today (14 July). The study mentions promoting a “one-hour commuting circle in the Greater Bay Area” and proposes developing the planned Hung Shui Kiu station on the Tuen Ma Line into a “new-generation transport interchange hub”.
14 Jul 2023獨媒#7992
Zheng Yanxiong Urges Lawmakers to Offer Ideas and Suggestions When Criticising, Says Government Will Welcome Them
立法會今午趕及在「放暑假」前宴請中聯辦主任鄭雁雄，他在致辭時提到今個立法年度通過了43項法案，較去年同期增加40%，反映行政立法關係緊密。他讚揚議員「認真負責」，並寄語他們監督政府時要「理性務實」，強調作出批評時最好「有主意、有建議」，相信政府會樂於接受，以及「深知民主程序嘅價值，深知大家嘅批評也是為了香港好。」
The Legislative Council hosted a banquet for Zheng Yanxiong, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong, this afternoon before the summer recess. In his speech, he said 43 bills had been passed during the current legislative year, an increase of 40% over the same period last year, reflecting close executive-legislative relations. He praised lawmakers as “serious and responsible” and urged them to be “rational and pragmatic” when monitoring the government. He stressed that when making criticisms, it was best to offer “ideas and suggestions”, saying he believed the government would be happy to accept them and “deeply understands the value of democratic procedures and that everyone’s criticisms are also for Hong Kong’s good.”
13 Jul 2023獨媒#7979
Lee Ka-chiu speaks Putonghua in LegCo for first time, praises Fok Kai-kong as “Charming Brother”
在立法會「唞暑」前夕，特首李家超出席第二次「互動交流答問會」，與議員們討論文化、法治及區域安全問題。李家超在最後發言總結一年施政經驗，他指看事物除了從「歷史看現實」，還要「透過現象看本質」，舉例早前捐贈器官系統出現大量取消，透過觀察發現有人「弄虛作假」，從而判斷「佢本質是否透過製造假象，破壞市民對捐贈器官的支持，挑撥社會矛盾呢？」
On the eve of the Legislative Council’s summer recess, Chief Executive Lee Ka-chiu attended the second Interactive Question-and-Answer Session, discussing culture, the rule of law and regional security with legislators. In his concluding remarks, summarising his experience of governing over the past year, Lee said that in looking at matters, one should not only “look at reality through history”, but also “see the essence through phenomena”. Citing the large number of cancellations that had earlier emerged in the organ donation system, he said observation had revealed that someone was “faking things”, prompting the question: “Is their essence to create a false appearance, undermine public support for organ donation and sow discord in society?”
13 Jul 2023獨媒#7982
EPD Cancels Tender for Paper Carton Recycling Contract, Says Recycler Has Found New Site; Chain Expected to Remain Stable
本港唯一紙包飲品盒回收廠「Mil Mill喵坊」的元朗廠房去年不獲科技園續租，引發軒然大波。環保署於本年3月就紙包飲品盒回收處理服務合約進行招標，合約期原於7月1日開始，惟當局一直無公布。喵坊兩周前公布在香港覓得新廠房，環保署今午（13日）突然宣布取消推出相關服務合約，稱獲悉有關回收商覓地重置並繼續營運，認為本港紙包飲品盒回收鏈可「維持穩定」，暫時毋須政府介入。
Mil Mill, Hong Kong’s only paper beverage carton recycling plant, caused a major outcry after the Hong Kong Science Park declined to renew the lease for its Yuen Long facility last year. The Environmental Protection Department invited tenders in March this year for a contract to provide paper beverage carton recycling and processing services. The contract was originally due to begin on July 1, but the authorities had not announced the result. Two weeks ago, Mil Mill announced that it had found a new plant site in Hong Kong. The EPD suddenly announced this afternoon (13th) that it had cancelled the tender for the relevant service contract, saying it had learned that the recycler had found a site to relocate and continue operations. It considered that Hong Kong’s paper beverage carton recycling chain could “remain stable” and that government intervention was not temporarily necessary.
13 Jul 2023明報#7983
Hong Kong Plans Ban on Aquatic Products from 10 Japanese Prefectures; Consulate-General Calls It “Extremely Regrettable” and Urges Government Not to Tighten Restrictions on Scientific Grounds
特區政府昨指，一旦日本啓動排放核廢水，會即時禁止東京、福島、千葉、栃木、茨城、群馬、宮城、新潟、長野及埼玉10個都縣的水產品進口。日本駐香港總領事館回應指，對港府決定表示極度遺憾（extremely regrettable），並指日本政府會持續與特區政府溝通。
The SAR government said yesterday that, once Japan begins discharging nuclear wastewater, it will immediately ban imports of aquatic products from Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama. The Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong said the decision was “extremely regrettable” and that the Japanese government would continue communicating with the SAR government.
13 Jul 2023獨媒#7984
Two Makeshift Hospitals Finally Find Uses: Tsing Yi to Train Flag-Raising and Marching, San Tin to Teach Modular Integrated Construction
香港在疫情期間曾經斥資興建九個社區隔離設施，政府指派財政司副司長黃偉綸研究九個設施用途。政府今日公布其中兩個的用途，青衣隔離設施將會用作青年制服團體的升旗及步操培訓；位於前身是新田購物城的隔離設施，就會用作建造業培訓課程。連同河套區和元朗潭尾，共有4個設施敲定新用途，其餘5個，包括最大的竹篙灣，仍未有定案。
Hong Kong spent money during the pandemic to build nine community isolation facilities. The government assigned Deputy Financial Secretary Wong Wai-lun to study uses for the nine facilities. The government announced the uses of two of them today: the Tsing Yi isolation facility will be used for flag-raising and marching training for youth uniformed groups, while the isolation facility formerly occupied by San Tin Shopping City will be used for construction-industry training courses. Including the facilities in the Lok Ma Chau Loop and Yuen Long’s Tam Mei, four facilities have had new uses finalised. No decision has yet been made on the remaining five, including the largest, at Penny’s Bay.
13 Jul 2023獨媒#7985
Construction-sector foreign workers to cover 29 trades, including steel fixing and scaffolding; applications open next Monday, earliest arrival in October
政府上月宣布為建造業及運輸業輸入外勞，其中1.2萬個屬建造業。發展局局長甯漢豪今日交代詳情，建造業外勞共涉及29個工種，包括紥鐵、混凝土灌漿、搭棚及平水，其中18個工種屬於技術人員，首批申請將在下周一（17日）開始。首個申請期為期一個月，將在兩個月內作審批，預計今年第四季即10月來港工作。
The Government announced last month that it would import foreign workers for the construction and transport sectors, including 12,000 for the construction sector. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho gave details today, saying that the construction-sector workers would cover 29 trades, including steel fixing, concrete grouting, scaffolding and levelling. Eighteen of the trades are for technicians. Applications for the first batch will open next Monday (the 17th). The first application period will last one month, and applications will be processed within two months. The workers are expected to arrive in Hong Kong to work in the fourth quarter of this year, namely October.
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
