The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     As the Chinese New Year draws near, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority encourages the public to continue supporting the use of good-as-new notes for lai-see. Good-as-new notes are perfectly suitable for use as lai-see, given that Hong Kong's currency notes are maintained at a high standard of cleanliness. The three note-issuing banks will start exchanging new notes on January 23. As in previous years, they will provide sufficient new and good-as-new notes in various denominations to meet demand for notes. 
      
     The note-issuing banks will supply the 2018 New Series HK$500 notes from the same day onwards. Following the issuance of the new HK$1,000 notes last December, the new HK$500 notes will enter circulation on January 23.

Ends/Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Issued at HKT 12:00

NNNN