Hong kong implements food safety order amid fukushima water discharge: bans import of aquatic products from 10 japanese prefectures, conducts radiological tests
In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
From noon on June 28 to noon today (July 2), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 462 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category, in the past four days (including last Saturday and Sunday). No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 200 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 63 727 samples of food imported from Japan (including 41 341 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 15 542 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.
Source: AI-generated images
New ordinance simplifies lease extension process in hong kong, creating favorable conditions for economic growth and efficiency; first batch of extensions to be published tomorrow
The Extension of Government Leases Ordinance (the Ordinance) will come into force tomorrow (July 5).
The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said, "The Ordinance upholds the land policy made in July 1997 and simplifies the arrangement for extension of land leases. This manifests the solid safeguards to Hong Kong under the steadfast and successful implementation of 'one country, two systems', and creates more favourable conditions for Hong Kong to pursue economic growth."
The Ordinance provides a standing statutory mechanism for handling lease extension matters for general purposes leases (i.e. general residential, commercial, industrial leases) which do not contain a right of renewal and expire on or after July 5, 2024 (hereafter "applicable leases") in batches.
The Director of Lands will continue to exercise the sole discretion of the Government and extend the relevant land leases by publishing an "Extension Notice" in the Government Gazette six years before the expiry of each batch of applicable leases. The "Extension Notice" will specify that applicable leases that are due to expire in a specified period will be extended for 50 years without payment of additional premium but subject to payment of annual government rent equivalent to three per cent of the rateable value of the relevant land as annually assessed, except those specified on the "Non-extension List" published on the same day. Through the "Extension Notice" under the new mechanism, the encumbrances, interests and rights under the original lease (such as mortgages) will be carried forward to the extended lease term without being affected. Owners do not have to perform any procedures, hence obviating the need for owners to undergo cumbersome procedures such as executing lease extension documents with the Government individually, re-arranging the mortgages, etc. as in the past.
Moreover, the Lands Department will publish the first "Extension Notice" tomorrow, which covers applicable leases expiring in less than six years (i.e. leases expiring between July 5, 2024 and December 31, 2030) (Note). This batch of land leases are all extended. They involve 376 lots, including 309 situated in Kowloon mainly in Yau Tsim Mong district and 67 lots on the Hong Kong Island.
Thereafter, in accordance with the requirement under the Ordinance to give six years' prior notice, the Lands Department will publish the next "Extension Notice" at the end of 2024, which will cover land leases expiring in 2031.
Ms Linn said, "The arrangement of extending land leases without having to execute a new contract ensures that the significant number of land leases expiring in upcoming years will be handled in an efficient and orderly manner, as well as saves the time and costs of owners bringing tremendous convenience to the public and businesses."
As the Government has reiterated in the past, in general, applicable leases will be extended by the Government, unless there are public interest considerations against extension of any particular lease (e.g. serious lease breach unpurged despite repeated warnings).
The Development Bureau has disseminated information on the Ordinance to relevant professional organisations and offices of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government overseas and in the Mainland to facilitate stepping up promotion of the new mechanism to various stakeholders in the land and property market, including owners, banking sector, estate agents, investors, etc. The Government will continue to step up promotion and education through various channels. The dedicated webpage and enquiry hotline of the Lands Department will commence operation tomorrow (www.landsd.gov.hk/en/land-disposal-transaction/extension.html).
Note: The Ordinance is not applicable to Special Purpose Leases (SPLs). For SPLs expiring within the same period (244 lots in total, including lots for the purposes of petrol filling station, education, recreation, public utility, welfare, special industries, etc.), the Lands Department will issue letter to all the concerned lessees and make an "SPL identification note" in the Land Registry register of the relevant land leases on the same day. This will identify the SPLs for handling of their lease extension matters in accordance with the original administrative procedures outside the Ordinance.
Source: AI-generated images
