22 Jan 2024獨媒#2852
林定國：無證據獨立司法權於國安案受損，很多人不求甚解便妄下定論
The opening ceremony of the 2024 Legal Year was held today. In his speech, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said all national security proceedings were conducted in public and court judgments were available for public inspection. He questioned the basis for “many people jumping to conclusions without seeking to understand the matter”, but said there was no evidence that the Judiciary’s independent judicial power had been undermined in national security cases. Lam also said the Judiciary’s independent judicial power faced threats from other countries. He criticised Western politicians for suggesting sanctions against judges, saying this smeared the National Security Law and put pressure on judges. He said it was “extremely hypocritical” for them to engage in such intimidating conduct while claiming to be concerned about the rule of law in Hong Kong. Lam reiterated that Hong Kong judges and judicial officers would perform their duties conscientiously and that he was “proud of them”. He said the Government would do everything in its power to ensure they could continue performing their judicial functions without fear of intimidation.
2024年法律年度開啟典禮今舉行，律政司司長林定國致辭時表示，國安聆訊全部公開進行，法庭判決亦可供公眾閱覽，質疑「很多人不求甚解便妄下定論」，但無證據顯示司法機構獨立的司法權在國安案件中受損。林又指，司法機構獨立司法權遭受來自其他國家的威脅，批評西方政客建議制裁法官是污衊國安法、向法官施壓，而他們作此等恫嚇行徑卻聲稱關注香港法治「實在偽善無比」。林重申香港法官和司法人員會盡責履職，「以他們為榮」，政府亦定必竭盡所能確保他們能無懼威嚇，繼續履行司法職能。
22 Jan 2024經濟日報#2853
金融開放｜國家副主席韓正會見滙豐主席杜嘉祺 冀深化互利合作
Chinese media reported that Vice-President Han Zheng met HSBC (00005) Chairman Mark Tucker in Beijing on Monday (22nd). Han said China is comprehensively advancing Chinese-style modernisation through high-quality development and remains firmly committed to expanding high-level opening-up. It will focus on institutional opening-up in areas including rules, regulations, management and standards, and promote high-level financial opening-up.
Han also said international financial institutions such as HSBC Group are welcome to continue actively participating in the reform and opening-up of China’s financial sector and achieve better development in China. The central government fully supports the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in promoting the development of its international financial centre, and hopes HSBC Group will leverage its own strengths, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with China, and make new contributions to consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.
The report also quoted Mark Tucker as expressing high praise for China’s economic and social development achievements. He said HSBC Group’s confidence in investing in China remained firm, and that it would actively participate in China’s high-quality development and high-level opening-up, support the development of Hong Kong as an international financial centre, and promote more results from mutually beneficial UK-China cooperation.
有內媒指，國家副主席韓正周一（22日）在北京會見滙豐 （00005） 主席杜嘉祺。韓正表示，中國正以高品質發展全面推動中國式現代化，堅定不移擴大高水準對外開放，將以規則、規制、管理和標準等製度型開放為重點，推進金融高水準對外開放。
韓正又稱，歡迎匯豐集團等國際金融機構繼續積極參與中國金融領域改革開放，在華實現更好發展，中國中央政府全力支持香港特區政府推進國際金融中心建設，希望匯豐集團用好自身優勢，深化與中方互利合作，為鞏固提升香港國際金融中心地位做出新的貢獻。
報道又引述杜嘉祺高度讚賞中國經濟社會發展成就，表示匯豐集團對華投資信心堅定，將積極參與中國高品質發展和高水準對外開放，支持香港國際金融中心建設，推動英中互利合作取得更多成果。
22 Jan 2024獨媒#2854
環保署長爆金句怪罪市民 謝展寰解畫：壓力下自己都會講唔啱聽嘅嘢
The waste charging scheme has been postponed twice, to 1 August. The government has attributed the main reason to the public’s “lack of understanding”. In a recent interview with Wen Wei Po, Director of Environmental Protection Department Samuel Chui Ho-kwong said: “Whether you understand something clearly often depends on whether you want to understand it. If you do not want to understand it, you will never understand it.” He was criticised for shifting the responsibility onto the public. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said on the radio this morning that when under pressure, “you yourself may also say things that everyone finds unpleasant”. Asked where the government would conduct “rehearsals” over the coming months, Tse only said that selected designated government buildings would be chosen for a trial, without saying whether the government headquarters would lead by example. Asked whether he was confident that the scheme would be implemented on 1 August, Tse made no specific commitment, saying only that there was no “magical date when you press a button and society changes completely”.
垃圾徵費兩度延期至8月1日，政府將主要原因說成市民「不理解」，環境保護署署長徐浩光日前接受《文匯報》專訪，形容「清不清楚好多時候是看你自己想不想弄清楚，如果你想不清楚，幾時都是不清楚」，被批評將責任缷給市民。環境及生態局局長謝展寰今早在電台解釋稱，若身在壓力下，「自己都會講咗啲大家唔啱聽嘅嘢」。至於政府未來數月會在什麼地方「演練」，謝展寰僅透露㨂選部份指定政府大樓試行，但無提及政府總部會否以身作則。8月1日是否有信心推行？謝展寰亦未有具體承諾，只表示沒有「神奇魔術日子，撳個掣社會社變哂」。
21 Jan 2024獨媒#2846
網傳指定袋易爛 環保署嚴厲譴責「詆毀污蔑」、有刑事成分將轉交警方
The Waste Charging Scheme has been postponed until 1 August. A video circulating online in recent days claimed that the Environmental Protection Department’s designated garbage bags tear easily. The department today strongly condemned fake news that tarnishes the quality of the designated bags, saying the claims were “entirely defamatory and slanderous”. It warned that there have recently been numerous rumours attacking the quality of the designated bags, with “ulterior motives”, and urged members of the public to remain vigilant to avoid being misled or influenced. The department will refer cases suspected of involving criminal elements to the police for follow-up investigation.
垃圾徵費計劃延至8月1日實施，近日網上流傳一條短片，稱環保署的指定垃圾袋容易破爛。環保署今嚴厲譴責抹黑指定袋質量的假消息，指有關言論「全屬詆毀污蔑」，並提醒市民近日有不少打擊指定袋質量的謠言，「居心叵測」，市民務必提高警剔，免受人誤導和蠱惑，環保署會將懷疑有刑事成分的個案，轉交警方跟進調查。
20 Jan 2024獨媒#2845
明日大嶼環評報告失蹤？發展局：已進入最後階段
The government submitted the project profile for the Lantau Tomorrow Vision environmental impact assessment in 2021, with the aim of completing the EIA report in 2023 to commence the EIA process. However, the report has yet to appear. Greenpeace said the government had offered no explanation, questioning whether the authorities were busy dealing with other issues and had yet to work out how to account to the public over the EIA. It recommended withdrawing the Lantau Tomorrow Vision project. In response to an inquiry from InMedia, the Development Bureau said the EIA had entered its final stage, and the target of commencing reclamation works by the end of 2025 remained unchanged.
政府2021年提交明日大嶼環評工程項目簡介，目標2023年完成環評報告以展開環評程序，惟至今不見蹤影。綠色和平指，政府對此沒有任何解釋，質疑當局忙於處理其他問題，致未想好環評如何向公眾交代，建議撤回明日大嶼。發展局回覆《獨媒》查詢時指，環評已進入最後階段，在2025年年底啓動填海工程的目標維持不變。
19 Jan 2024獨媒#2834
楊潤雄：支持藝發局扣減頒獎禮資助 稱扼殺創作說法是混淆視聽
The Hong Kong Arts Development Council issued a statement yesterday saying that the Hong Kong Drama Awards ceremony organised by the Hong Kong Federation of Drama Societies last year had damaged its reputation by inviting comic artist Zunzi and former RTHK producer-director Choy Yuk Ling, Bao as award presenters, while the host also used “red bridge” and “red line” as topics. It therefore reduced its funding for this year’s awards ceremony. The federation held a press conference today to rebut the council and demanded that it withdraw the allegations. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Yang Runxiong issued a statement this evening saying he supported and agreed with the council’s decision to reduce funding for the awards ceremony. He said the council was merely ensuring that public money was used properly, in line with the government’s requirements and expectations of the council. In response to views that the decision stifled creative space, Yang said he strongly disagreed, calling them a case of putting the cart before the horse and misleading the public.
藝發局昨日發稿，指香港戲劇協會去年舉辦的香港舞台劇獎頒獎禮，因邀請漫畫家尊子及前港台編導蔡玉玲作頒獎嘉賓，主持人又以「紅橋、紅線」為話題，損害聲譽，扣減今年頒獎禮資助。劇協今日召開記者會反駁藝發局，並要求局方收回指控。文化體育及旅遊局局長楊潤雄傍晚發稿，表示支持及認同藝發局扣減頒獎禮資助安排，認為局方只是確保公帑用得其所，符合政府對藝發局的要求和期望。對於個別意見指是次決定扼殺創作空間，楊潤雄稱絕不認同，認為屬本末倒置、混淆視聽。
19 Jan 2024集誌社#2838
垃圾收費｜曾指「一定唔會褪」 今稱市民不了解 生效日期再押後至 8 月 1日
Four months after another four months, the waste charging scheme, originally scheduled to take effect in April this year, has now been postponed again to August. The waste charging scheme was originally due to be implemented on 1 April, but its implementation details have recently sparked considerable controversy. Tse Chin-wan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology and the politically accountable official responsible for promoting the policy, said today (19th) that the effective date would be changed to 1 August. Government departments and some buildings will conduct trials on 1 April first, with on-site demonstrations for publicity and education. Explaining the repeated postponements, Tse said that members of the public “really do not understand it.”
四個月又四個月，原本是今年四月，最新又押後至八月生效，說的是垃圾收費。原定在 4 月 1 日實施的垃圾徵費，近日在執行細節上掀起不少爭議，負責推銷有關政策的政治問責官員–環境及生態局局長謝展寰今（19日）表示，生效日期會改為 8 月 1 日；政府部門、部分樓宇在 4月 1日先試行，實地展示做宣傳教育。一再押後的原因，謝展寰說是市民「真係唔了解」。
19 Jan 2024獨媒#2843
杜淦堃：推遲23條立法未必最合適
The Bar Association held its election of office-bearers yesterday, with Victor (1977) Dawes continuing to head the association and José Antonio Maurellet and Derek Ching Lung Chan remaining as vice-chairmen. All were returned unopposed. Meeting the media in the afternoon, Victor (1977) Dawes was asked for his views on legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law and whether there was an urgent need for legislation in Hong Kong at present. He said that further delaying the legislation "may not be most appropriate", adding that 2003 was "really a long time ago" and that many things had changed since then.
大律師公會昨日進行換屆改選，繼續由杜淦堃掌握公會，毛樂禮與陳政龍續任副主席，全個選舉在無競爭下連任。杜淦堃下午會晤傳媒，被問及對《基本法》23條立法的意見，是否看到現時香港有急切的立法需要，他表示再推遲立法「未必最合適」，而2003年「真係好耐之前嘅事」，很多事情已與當年有別。
17 Jan 2024獨媒#2823
羅淑佩稱目標收回2,200個濫用公屋單位 擬設獎項表揚舉報者
The government is stepping up its crackdown on abuse of public rental housing. From October, the Housing Department will require every household to declare its occupancy status and whether it owns residential property in Hong Kong once every two years of residence. Rosanna Law Shuk-pui, permanent secretary for housing and director of housing, also said yesterday that the department was studying a bonus-point system for property management companies, under which they could receive additional points in future tenders for successfully reporting abuse cases. An interview with Law published by Ta Kung Pao today said that more than 2,200 abused public rental housing units could be recovered this year. She also said the Housing Department had randomly checked land records against about 30,000 declaration forms and found that 46 families owned property in Hong Kong; notices to vacate would be issued to them or they would be prosecuted. Legislative Council member Michael Tien Puk-sun calculated that the rate of non-disclosure was 0.8%, and estimated from this that the government could recover 6,500 abused units.
政府重鎚打擊濫用公屋，10月起房屋署要求所有住戶，每住滿2年便要申報居住狀況，以及在香港是否持有住宅。房屋局常任秘書長、房屋署署長羅淑佩昨日又指正研究物管公司「加分制」，若成功舉報濫用個案，日後投標時可獲加分。《大公報》今日刊登羅淑佩訪問，稱有望本年度可以回收逾2,200個被濫用的公屋單位。她又表示房署從約3萬份申報表隨機抽樣查冊，發現有46個家庭在港持有物業，將向他們發出遷出通知書或檢控。立法會議員田北辰計算瞞報率有0.8%，以此推算政府可以回收6,500個濫用單位。
17 Jan 2024獨媒#2824
謝偉俊質疑「小紅書治港」政制局否認厚此薄彼稱「同等重視」
Hong Kong society is tending towards a “one-colour” landscape, while more of the dissatisfaction with Hong Kong is coming from mainland visitors. Legislative Council member Starry Lee? Wait, 謝偉俊 is Paul Tse, not Starry Lee. Need correct. He raised a written question in the Legislative Council, saying mainland internet users had complained about Hong Kong through Xiaohongshu, with some arguing that “criticising Hong Kong has now become politically correct”. He said that after being criticised, the Hong Kong government had responded quickly and prominently. Tse said many members of the public had pointed out that various local views—including calls to suspend Mandatory Provident Fund contributions, remove the cooling measures and provide tax refunds—had not received equal attention for a long time, easily creating the impression that the government favoured some over others, or even that Xiaohongshu was “governing Hong Kong”. The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said that the government “attaches equal importance” to views expressed on both local and mainland social media.
香港社會趨向「清一色」，對香港不滿意見較多反而來自內地訪港旅客。立法會議員謝偉俊在立法會提出書面質詢，指內地網民透過「小紅書」投訴香港，更有「現在噴香港已經是一種政治正確了」的論述。而港府「被噴」後，卻迅速並高調回應。謝偉俊指不少市民反映，多項本地意見，例如停供強積金、撤辣、退稅等惠民措施卻遲遲未獲同等重視，容易令人產生厚此薄彼，甚至「小紅書治港」的觀感。政制局回應稱無論本地或內地社交媒體提出的意見，政府「都同等重視」。
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
