Issued by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Information Services
Garden Road, 5th-8th Floors, Murray Building, Hong Kong. Tel: 2842 8777
Saturday, January 17, 1998
CONTENTS
========
1. HK plays active role in protecting intellectual property rights
2. HK disappointed at remaining on copyright watch list
3. Public advised to be cautious of big coral reef fish
4. Progress of compensation distribution
5. Grants from the Disaster Relief Fund
6. Influenza vaccination for residents of elderly homes
7. Update on avian flu
8. Update on voter registration figures
9. Adoption service gains volunteer support
10. Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau seminar on hazardous weather
11. Yuen Long District Arts Festival caters for all
1. HK plays active role in protecting intellectual property rights
*********************************************************
As an important financial and trading centre in the
world, Hong Kong has been playing an active role in the
protection of intellectual property.
The Chief Executive, Mr TUNG Chee Hwa, said this
today (Saturday) at the passing-out parade of the Customs
and Excise Training School.
Mr Tung noted that after the establishment of the
Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong continued to
function effectively as a separate customs territory under
the existing trading systems and committed itself to the
successful implementation of the "one country, two
systems" concept.
"The Customs and Excise Department undertakes a wide
range of responsibilities, including revenue collection,
anti-narcotics and anti-smuggling work, protection of
intellectual property rights and consumer interests, trade
facilitation as well as trade controls," he said.
The Department, which is also responsible for all
operation for the detection of pirated and counterfeit
goods, works closely with overseas law-enforcers as well
as trademark and copyright owners in its fight against
acts of infringement.
"The service of the Department in recent years has
been outstanding particularly in the area of protection of
copyright and trademarks," he noted.
Mr Tung told the officers at the parade that he was
confident that they would continue to step up their action
in combating piracy and counterfeiting for the protection
of intellectual property rights.
"I am also pleased to note that your Department is in
process of modernisation in areas such as information
technology and human resources management. New computer
systems are being installed. Equipment has been upgraded
for greater safety and better duty performance," Mr Tung
said.
He noted that arrangements have also been made for
the building of new customs launches and that Customs
Headquarters building was on the drawing board.
"All these point to the fact that the Department is a
progressive and forward-looking organisation, moving
forward into a new era and will continue to play an
important role in the Special Administrative Region," Mr
Tung concluded.
Thirty-one probationary inspectors and 106
probationary Customs officers took part in the parade
today.
End
2. HK disappointed at remaining on copyright watch list
****************************************************
The Government notes that the United States Trade
Representative (USTR) has just released an 'out-of-cycle'
review on a number of countries which were listed in the
Special 301 Report for 1997, and Hong Kong will remain on
the "Watch List" in respect of protection of intellectual
property rights (IPR).
"We note that the USTR has given due recognition to
Hong Kong's determination and effort to solve the piracy
problem," a spokesman for the Trade and Industry Bureau
said today (Saturday).
"However, it is not justified to include Hong Kong on
the "Watch List", in view of the considerable and
persistent anti-piracy efforts and initiatives the
Government has made. We are disappointed at such an
announcement.
"Hong Kong is totally committed to enforcing a robust
IPR protection regime, which is crucial to economic growth
of Hong Kong and our continuation as a leading regional
and global trading city.
"The Government has adopted a comprehensive strategy
to combat copyright piracy," he said.
This strategy covers the following elements:
* The Government has taken vigorous enforcement
action at retail, distribution and importation levels.
More than 4.5 million pirated optical discs worth over
HK$150 million seized in 1997.
Four optical disc factories allegedly manufacturing
pirated discs raid and six production lines seized since
Copyright Ordinance was introduced on June 27, 1997.
* New legislative measures have been implemented to
strengthen enforcement capabilities.
The new Copyright Ordinance provides an enhanced
regime for the protection of copyright and other related
rights.
Since December 29, 1997, licences are required for
the import and export of optical disc manufacturing
equipment, enabling Customs officials to better trace the
movements of such equipment in the territory.
The "Prevention of Copyright Piracy Bill" will be
introduced into the Provisional Legislative Council in
January 21, 1998, requiring all manufacturers producing
optical discs in Hong Kong to register with the
Commissioner of Customs and Excise.
* Courts are handing down tougher penalties for
persons convicted of copyright piracy.
In the first 11 months of 1997, the courts have
handed down 216 immediate custodial sentences for
copyright offences, compared to 144 in 1996 and 18 in
1995.
* The Government has stepped up liaison with the
copyright industry and other IPR enforcement authorities.
It has worked closely with the copyright industry. A
reward scheme sponsored by the major copyright industries
was set up on December 10, 1997 to encourage information
on large-scale piracy activities. It is also maintaining
close contacts with Mainland authorities at the border to
stop pirated copyright products from entering Hong Kong.
* The Government recognises the importance of
educating our younger generation about the need to protect
intellectual property.
The Intellectual Property Department has designated a
team of officers to conduct school visits. Special school-
visit team already visited 55 schools covering more than
12 000 students during the second half of 1997.
According to the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness
Act of 1988, otherwise known as the "Special 301", the
USTR has to designate foreign countries or territories
that in the view of the US Administration, inadequately
protect or deny market access for US intellectual property
investments.
Countries or territories whose policies, acts or
practices have the greatest adverse impact, actual or
potential, on the relevant US rights or products would
fall within the "Priority Foreign Country" list.
Such listing carries with it mandatory trade
negotiations and possible sanctions if sufficient
improvements are not available within a short time frame.
USTR has also created three non-statutory categories,
in descending order of seriousness of violation of
intellectual property rights: "Priority Watch List",
"Watch List" and "Other Observations".
These categories carry no statutory sanctions.
Countries on the "Priority Watch List' will be the focus
for increased bilateral attention.
Hong Kong was referred to in the Special 301 report
for the first time in April 1996 under the "Other
Observations" category. Hong Kong was downgraded to the
"Watch List" in April 1997.
End
3. Public advised to be cautious of big coral reef fish
****************************************************
The Department of Health today (Saturday) advised the
public to be extra cautious of big coral reef fish,
particularly those weighing over three catties, as they
may contain ciguatoxin which may cause food poisoning.
The advice followed 10 food poisoning cases,
affecting some 50 persons, suspected to be caused by
ciguatoxic fish in the last two weeks.
All these cases related to coral reef fish. People
affected may show symptoms of numbness of the mouth and
the limbs, vomiting, diarrhoea, reversal feeling of
coldness and hotness, pains of the joints and muscles.
All of them recovered after treatment.
A department spokesman said fishes, especially the
coral reef fish, might carry ciguatoxin due to consumption
of poisonous algae. The larger fish is therefore more
likely to carry the toxin and it cannot be told from the
appearance of the fish if it contains any toxin.
"The toxin cannot be destroyed by high temperature,"
the spokesman said.
"It appears that the form of poisoning is associated
with the food-chain relationship of the fish, the larger
fish of a species is more toxic than the small fish of the
same species."
He said the intake of small amount of toxin would not
cause great harm to human beings. However, if excessive
toxin is eaten, the nervous system will be affected.
To prevent ciguatera poisoning, the spokesman advised
that the following should be observed:-
* Avoiding eating the viscera especially liver and
gonads of big coral reef fish where the toxin are most
concentrated;
* Reduce the frequency of eating big coral reef
fish; and
* Eat only a small quantity at any one time.
He noted that the fish involved in the recent cases
were tiger grouper and flowery cod. Other fish commonly
found associated with ciguatera poisoning in Hong Kong are
black fin red snapper, blue spot snapper, mangrove
snapper, giant grouper, hump head wrasse and other coral
reef fish species.
From 1993 to 1996, there were 69 cases of ciguatera
poisoning involving 305 people. In the first three
quarters of 1997, 13 such cases involving 95 people were
reported to the Department of Health.
End
4. Progress of compensation distribution
*************************************
More than $72.5 million of compensation and ex-gratia
payments have been collected by poultry farmers,
wholesalers and retailers directly affected by the recent
poultry slaughter operation.
A Government spokesman today (Saturday) said that a
total of 967 cheques were collected by affected farmers
and operators between January 12 and 16.
Among these, local chicken farmers collected 120
cheque payments which amounted to $36.3 million.
Meanwhile, affected wholesalers collected 206 cheque
payments of $10 million.
At the retail level, 599 payment cheques of $25.2
million were collected by retailers who were tenants of
the two municipal councils' markets and licensees of fresh
provision shops.
For wholesale-market based transport operators, 42
cheques of ex-gratia payment of $1 million were
distributed to verified operators.
The spokesman added that forms for loan application
would be available on Monday (January 19) for farmers,
wholesalers and retailers affected by the slaughter
operation.
Affected persons can obtain application forms from
the offices where they collected their compensation
payment cheques.
Those who want to make enquiries concerning the
collection of compensation and ex-gratia payments and loan
application may contact the following offices:
Office Telephone No.
Agriculture and Fisheries Department
District Agricultural Office 2654 1126
(South & East)
District Agricultural Office(West) 2476 2424
Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale 2742 8089
Poultry Market
Western Wholesale Food Market 2803 7008
Regional Services Department's District
(Environmental Health) Offices
Islands 2852 4546
Kwai Tsing 2425 5825
North 2679 2815
Sai Kung 2792 3460
Sha Tin 2634 0077
Tai Po 2654 1156
Tsuen Wan 2412 0629
Tuen Mun 2451 3096
Yuen Long 2475 3428
Urban Services Department's District
(Environmental Health) Offices
Central 2853 2556
Wan Chai 2879 5744
Western 2853 2522
Southern 2552 7156
Eastern 2561 3090
Kowloon City 2711 5721
Kwun Tong 2343 3805
Sham Shui Po 2748 6971
Wong Tai Sin 2997 9010
Yau Tsim 2302 1539
Mong Kok 2789 8543
End
5. Grants from the Disaster Relief Fund
************************************
The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee has today
(Saturday) approved a grant of $3 million to World Vision
Hong Kong, $0.5 million to Jian Hua Foundation Ltd and
$2.6 million to Oxfam Hong Kong as contributions to their
relief operations for earthquake victims in Zhangjiakou in
Hebei Province, China.
Together with the earlier grant of $6.24 million to
Hong Kong Red Cross, the Advisory Committee has so far
approved $12.34 million from the Disaster Relief Fund for
various relief projects to assist the victims of this
earthquake.
An application for funds has also been received from
UNICEF. The application will be processed as quickly as
possible.
The Advisory Committee is encouraged to see the
generous response from members of the public towards the
call for donations to help the victims in this earthquake.
It shows that Hong Kong people are compassionate to those
in need.
The Committee is chaired by the Chief Secretary for
Administration. Members are Dr Raymond CH'IEN, Mr YANG Ti-
liang, Mrs Elsie TU, Mr NGAN Kam-chuen, Mr Norman LEUNG,
Ms Sansan CHING, the Secretary for Health and Welfare, and
the Secretary for the Treasury.
End
6. Influenza vaccination for residents of elderly homes
****************************************************
The Department of Health will launch an influenza
vaccination programme in February to cover residents of
all elderly homes in Hong Kong, it was announced today
(Saturday).
In close collaboration with the Social Welfare
Department and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in
the subvented sector, the programme is scheduled to start
on February 2 and complete within February in time before
the next influenza peak sets in around March.
A total of 600 residential institutions caring for
some 40 000 elderly persons will be covered. The
Department will arrange for the vaccination to be done by
the Department's vaccination teams and nursing staff of
elderly homes.
A department spokesman said the decision to vaccinate
residents of elderly homes came after the Advisory
Committee on Immunization (ACI) endorsed the
recommendation at its meeting in October 1997.
"The ACI has taken into consideration current
experience in vaccine use, local epidemiology and overseas
practice," the spokesman said.
"Elderly persons with chronic health problems and
living in residential homes are particularly prone to
influenza infection.
"Free vaccination will be offered to boost overall
immunity among elderly within the residential care setting
before the next influenza peak in March."
The spokesman explained that the vaccination
programme is not aimed at protecting individuals from the
recently discovered H5N1 influenza A infection.
"However, the Department considers it opportune to
launch the vaccination programme in February to take
advantage of the increased public awareness and attention
to influenza illness," he said.
"The Department believes that this will result in
greater acceptance of the influenza vaccination which is a
requisite for successfully achieving higher level of
immunity within a particular sector of the community."
End
7. Update on avian flu
*******************
The Department of Health (DH) announced today
(Saturday) that there was no new case of influenza A
(H5N1) today.
The total number of cases remains 18 confirmed and
one suspected cases.
The status and condition of other cases remain the
same as yesterday.
End
8. Update on voter registration figures
************************************
About 580,000 voter registration forms for
geographical constituencies for the 1998 Legislative
Council elections have been received by the close of a
voter registration exercise on January 16, according to
the Registration and Electoral Office's figures.
It is estimated that about half of them are from new
electors. The remaining forms are mainly reports of
change of residential address from people already on the
electoral roll.
Registration figures for functional constituencies
and the Election Committee subsectors will be released as
soon as they are available.
End
9. Adoption service gains volunteer support
****************************************
Prospective adoptive children with special needs,
such as those with mental or physical disability or
undesirable family background, are benefiting greatly from
a volunteer programme in getting more prepared for
adoption.
Speaking at an award presentation ceremony for
"Volunteers in Adoption Services" programme today
(Saturday), the Deputy Director of Social Welfare
(Services), Mrs Patricia Chu Yeung Pak-yu, paid warm
tribute to the volunteers for their enthusiastic support
and hard work.
"With your love, care and concern, many of these
children have managed to develop in a more stable manner
both socially and emotionally," she said.
"You have given the children a better chance for more
successful integration into their prospective adoptive
homes," she added.
Mrs Chu pointed out that through continuous publicity
namely exhibitions, posters, talks and interviews, the
department had successfully placed 53 special needs
children in local adoptive homes last year.
Two non-governmental organisations - the
International Social Service Hong Kong Branch and Mother's
Choice, had also helped place another 21 children in
overseas adoptive homes.
Noting that there were currently 165 special needs
children awaiting adoption, Mrs Chu emphasised the needs
and efforts to arouse public awareness of the welfare of
these children.
"We are very encouraged to know that some of our
volunteers and foster parents are ready to adopt special
needs children," she added.
Ninety three volunteers were today presented the
award.
End
10. Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau seminar on hazardous weather
******************************************************
The 12th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau seminar on
hazardous weather was held in Hong Kong between January 15
and 17, 1998. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Lam Hung-
kwan, Director of the Hong Kong Observatory. The
Guangdong delegates were led by Mr. Xie Guo Tao, Director
of Guangdong Meteorological Bureau. The Macau delegates
were led by Mr. Fong Soi Kun, Deputy Director of Macau
Meteorological and Geophysical Services. The meeting
focused on the effect of El Nino on the weather pattern in
southern China and selected hazardous weather cases
experienced in 1997.
The opportunity was also taken by the three parties
to consolidate the arrangement relating to the South China
Sea Monsoon experiment and the South China Rainstorm
experiment to be carried out this summer.
The South China Sea Monsoon experiment is an
cooperative scientific project involving many countries,
endorsed by the World Meteorological Organization. Its
objective is to study the weather systems associated with
the southwest monsoon affecting the East Asia region in
spring and summer each year. In addition to
meteorological personnel from Guangdong, Hong Kong and
Macau, scientists from Southeast Asian countries,
Australia and USA will also participate in the experiment.
The South China Rainstorm experiment is a joint
project involving the southern provinces of China, Hong
Kong and Macau. It focuses on the mesoscale rainstorm
systems embedded within the southwest monsoon and the
monsoon troughs. Each year, severe weather associated
with these systems affects southern China in spring and
summer, bringing extensive social and economic losses.
Meteorological services participating in the experiment
include Guangdong, Fujian, Macau, Hong Kong and others.
To support the operational plans of the two
experiments, the Hong Kong Observatory will make more
frequent observations during the field phases - collecting
more surface data, as well as providing additional radar
and wind profiler information. The data, after processing
and collation by the experiments' data centres, will be
archived as a refined data set to be shared among
scientists participating in the experiments. The Hong
Kong Observatory will also make use of this data set to
conduct studies for operational applications, particularly
the enhancement of forecasting capability in connection
with the southwest monsoon and rainstorm systems.
The two experiments will take place collaterally and
require a large amount of observational data. Apart from
the key components of upper air sounding, weather radars,
wind profilers and oceanographic observations, an
automatic weather station network located in the Pearl
River Delta area (see attached diagram) will also be
mobilized to collect the necessary surface data. The
network, a fruitful collaborative effort by Guangdong,
Hong Kong and Macau over the years, will be an important
part of the experiments. Four stations (Huangmaozhou,
Tuoning, Neilingding, Wailingding) jointly established by
Guangdong and Hong Kong have already been put into service
successively. The other two stations, Wanshan and Gaolan,
by Guangdong and Macau will soon be completed and become
operational. Including the local networks - 10 automatic
weather stations in Macau, around 50 in Hong Kong, and
nearly 40 established by Shenzhen in recent years, weather
systems affecting the region will be placed under the
closest scrutiny.
The annual seminar is held in turn in Guangzhou, Hong
Kong, and Macau. Following the successful completion of
the 12th meeting, the next seminar will be convened in
Macau.
End
11. Yuen Long District Arts Festival caters for all
***********************************************
The 14th Yuen Long District Arts Festival, aimed at
cultivating a stronger sense of belonging among residents
and people who work in Yuen Long district, was launched
tonight (Saturday).
Speaking at the kick off ceremony for the nine-day
long festival in Lut Sau Hall, Yuen Long, the acting
Deputy Director of Home Affairs, Mr Victor Ng ,said a
diverse programme of arts, cultural and recreational
activities would be presented to satisfy all taste.
"Local residents and visitors should appreciate the
traditional dance and singing performances by the renowned
Guangxi Wuzhou Television Broadcasting Troupe and the
Window of the World Performance Troupe at Long Ping, Tin
Shui Estates and Lut Sau Hall".
"The festival will no doubt attract visitors from
other parts of Hong Kong who will then get to know more
about Yuen Long district." Mr Ng said.
Free admission tickets were being distributed on a
first-come-first-served basis at the Yuen Long District
Office, Yuen Long District Board Office, Yuen Long Town
Hall and Tin Yiu Community Centre.
The festival was jointly organised by the 14th Yuen
Long Arts Festival Co-ordinating Committee, Yuen Long
Provisional District Board, Yuen Long Arts Committee and
Yuen Long Town Hall.
It cost $1.5 million to organise, $790,000 of which
was funded by the Provisional Regional Council and
$600,000 by the Yuen Long Provisional District Board, with
the rest covered by local donations.
End
