Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Research Articles

Satisfaction with government recommended pre-procedural mouth rinses in the mitigation of Covid-19 in Hong Kong SAR: A triple blind randomized controlled clinical trial

ObjectiveTo evaluate satisfaction and acceptability with three pre-procedural mouthrinses recommended by the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methodsA triple-blind parallel-arm randomised controlled clinical trial was conducted. Following eligibility assessment, participants were block-randomised to the three intervention pre-procedural mouthrinses groups: Povidone-iodine, Hydrogen Peroxide and Chlorhexidine Digluconate. Participants rinsed with one of the mouthrinses assigned prior to any dental treatment. Participants, operators and assessors were blind to the assigned mouthrinses (triple blind). Satisfaction ratings were assessed on a 10 cm visual analogue scale (VAS) and acceptability of the mouthrinses were determined. ResultsFollowing clinical screening, 228 participants were involved in the trial. The mean overall VAS satisfaction was 7.35 (SD 1.68). There was no significant difference in VAS satisfaction ratings among the three groups (p>0.05) nor in between groups. Acceptability of the mouthrinses was high with the vast majority (89.5 %, 204) willing to use the mouthrinses again if pre-procedural mouthrinsing is required. There was no significant difference in acceptability ratings (p>0.05). There were some aspects such as taste and smell that participants commented on (on average, 24.6 %, 56), although no significant difference in prevalence of reports among groups (p>0.05). ConclusionsThere were high rates of satisfaction and acceptability of the HKSAR Government recommended pre-procedural mouthrinses for the mitigation of COVID-19 transmission in the dental setting. There was no significant difference in satisfaction and acceptability rates among the three recommended pre-procedural mouthrinses. Clinical relevanceThe high satisfaction and acceptability rates of the HKSAR Government recommended pre-procedural mouthrinses in the mitigation of COVID-19 in this clinical trial lends support for the HKSAR's policy on pre-procedural mouthrinses in the dental setting and this has implications for practice and policy during pandemics.

Effectiveness of molnupiravir vs nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in non-hospitalised and hospitalised patients with COVID-19: a target trial emulation study

Molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir-ritonavir have emerged as promising options for COVID-19 treatment, but direct comparisons of their effectiveness have been limited. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of these two oral antiviral drugs in non-hospitalised and hospitalised patients with COVID-19. In this target trial emulation study, we used data from a territory-wide electronic health records database on eligible patients aged ≥18 years infected with COVID-19 who were prescribed either molnupiravir or nirmatrelvir-ritonavir within five days of infection between 16 March 2022 and 31 December 2022 in the non-hospitalised and hospitalised settings in Hong Kong. A sequence trial approach and 1:1 propensity score matching was applied based on age, sex, number of COVID-19 vaccine doses received, Charlson comorbidity index, comorbidities, and drug use within past 90 days. Cox regression adjusted with patients' characteristics was used to compare the risk of effectiveness outcomes (all-cause mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission or ventilatory support and hospitalisation) between groups. Subgroup analyses included age (<70; ≥70 years); sex, Charlson comorbidity index (<4; ≥4), and number of COVID-19 vaccine doses received (0-1; ≥2 doses). A total of 63,522 non-hospitalised (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir: 31,761; molnupiravir: 31,761) and 11,784 hospitalised (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir: 5892; molnupiravir: 5892) patients were included. In non-hospitalised setting, 336 events of all-cause mortality (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir: 71, 0.22%; molnupiravir: 265, 0.83%), 162 events of ICU admission or ventilatory support (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir: 71, 0.22%; molnupiravir: 91, 0.29%), and 4890 events of hospitalisation (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir: 1853, 5.83%; molnupiravir: 3037, 9.56%) were observed. Lower risks of all-cause mortality (absolute risk reduction (ARR) at 28 days: 0.61%, 95% CI: 0.50-0.72; HR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.33-0.56) and hospital admission (ARR at 28 days: 3.73%, 95% CI: 3.31-4.14; HR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.67-0.76) were observed in nirmatrelvir-ritonavir users compared to molnupiravir users. In hospitalised setting, 509 events of all-cause mortality (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir: 176, 2.99%; molnupiravir: 333, 5.65%), and 50 events of ICU admission or ventilatory support (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir: 26, 0.44%; molnupiravir: 24, 0.41%) were observed. Risk of all-cause mortality was lower for nirmatrelvir-ritonavir users than for molnupiravir users (ARR at 28 days: 2.66%, 95% CI: 1.93-3.40; HR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.49-0.71). In both settings, there was no difference in the risk of intensive care unit admission or ventilatory support between groups. The findings were consistent across all subgroup's analyses. Our analyses suggest that nirmatrelvir-ritonavir was more effective than molnupiravir in reducing the risk of all-cause mortality in both non-hospitalised and hospitalised patients. When neither drug is contraindicated, nirmatrelvir-ritonavir may be considered the more effective option. HMRF Research on COVID-19, The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government; Collaborative Research Fund, University Grants Committee, the HKSAR Government; and Research Grant from the Food and Health Bureau, the HKSAR Government; the Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H) funded by the AIR@InnoHK administered by Innovation and Technology Commission.

Optimization of chiller sequencing control for district cooling system at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port

To mitigate the climate change issue, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) proposed the “Hong Kong Climate Change Plan 2030+” with an ambitious goal of reducing the carbon intensity to 65%–70% below 2005 levels by 2030. To achieve this target, the HKSAR Government has developed two District Cooling Systems (DCS) to promote the use of district energy system, enhancing the overall energy efficiency for cooling purpose. One of the government-owned DCSs is located at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port (HZMB-HKP), producing a total design cooling capacity of 24.16 MW to passenger clearance building and ancillary buildings there. This paper demonstrates how the DCS at HZMB-HKP could enhance overall energy efficiency for cooling purpose, through proper chiller sequencing control, and reduce CO2 emission significantly. An optimal seasonal chiller operation mode is also suggested to be adopted at the DCS at HZMB-HKP from cost-effectiveness perspective. Practical application: District Cooling Systems are considered as a promising solution to alleviate the climate change issue. An optimized chiller sequencing control strategy of DCS can effectively reduce overall cooling energy consumption, so as to achieve carbon neutrality. This paper outlines a case study on a cost-effective operational control strategy of the DCS at HZMB-HKP. The analysis of both the theoretical and practical sequencing control strategy can be taken as a reference for DCS development in the future.

Chinese medicine practitioner turnover rate and the development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong, China

To establish that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government is actively promoting Chinese medicine (CM) and to examine turnover rate of Chinese medicine practitioners (CMPs) in Hong Kong, China in light of this governmental push. This study covered two major areas: reviewing CM development in Hong Kong, and assessing the turnover rate of CMPs in Hong Kong. The first part of the paper is a historical review. The investigation of turnover rate had two sections. Section 1, quantitative method, involved online questionnaires; Section 2, qualitative method comprised interviews with CMPs from different types of CM clinics to ascertain the reasons for the turnover among CMPs. A total of 123 online questionnaires were received in Section 1 (55 from male CMPs; 66 from female CMPs; 2 respondents were unwilling to disclose their sex). The proportion of CMPs who had resigned in 2018–19 was 22.8% (28), of whom 5.7% (7) had resigned twice in one year. The rates of resignation in 3 years and 5 years were up to 40.7% (50) and 56.9% (70), respectively. Six CMPs were interviewed in Section 2. Young CMPs were more likely to resign than seniors. The large gap between actual salary and expectations appeared to be the main reason for the high rate of resignation. HKSAR government keenly desires to promote CM in Hong Kong, however, high turnover rate of CMPs was detected even under this positive governmental support. There is an urgent need to conduct a more representative study of the reasons for the inclination of CMPs in Hong Kong. The study highlights an important issue in CM development, and these results should remind different stakeholders in the CM industry and the government that CMPs need better career prospects and support in various areas.

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Equality in Hong Kong: Rights, Resistance, and Possibilities for Reform

AbstractThis article explores the implications of an absence of anti-discrimination legislation on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in Hong Kong. Strategic litigation has played an important role in securing legal protections for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community in the face of resistance from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, as well as religious and parental concern groups. Despite a growing body of evidence which outlines the self-reported daily discrimination experienced by LGBT individuals, the HKSAR government has resisted calls to adopt anti-discrimination legislation on the grounds of SOGI, focusing instead on self-regulation and education. Grounded in qualitative research interviews examining the feasibility of adopting anti-discrimination legislation on the grounds of SOGI in Hong Kong, this article explores the current legal landscape for LGBT rights, resistance, and possibilities for reform.

Hong Kong’s Strict Immigration Control: The Family As the Unit of Non-protection and Deprivation of Human Rights Protection

The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (Basic Law) provides in Article 39 the continuing in force of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil Political Rights (ICCPR) “as applied in Hong Kong” and the implementation of those provisions through the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Yet, the HKSAR courts have, in a series of cases, interpreted Article 39 to provide for the domestication of the treaty reservation of immigration legislation and its application in Hong Kong in respect of persons who are subject to immigration control to the effect that the administration of strict immigration control policy by the HKSAR Government is not subject to judicial scrutiny for compliance with fundamental human rights protected under the Basic Law and international human rights instruments applicable to Hong Kong. In April 2019, the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal held in its judgment in the Comilang case that the Director of Immigration was not required to take into account the enjoyment of family rights in Hong Kong when the Director makes a decision on whether a foreign national parent should be permitted to remain to take care of her minor child and live in Hong Kong as a family. This judgment turned the recognition in international human rights law of the family as the fundamental group unit of society for protection on its head. This Paper critiques this judgment. and concludes with observations on its domestic and international implications.

The soft power and paradiplomacy of Hong Kong

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to map out the connection between paradiplomacy, policy instruments and soft power and propose a theoretical framework for consideration.Design/methodology/approachThis research adopted a qualitative research approach involving in-depth interviews with government officials from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices and two Hong Kong film directors.FindingsThe research has discovered that the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) lacks a holistic strategy and policy to boost Hong Kong’s visibility in the global context. The HKSAR Government exhibits an incomplete understanding of the concept of soft power and ignores the values cherished in the civil society.Practical implicationsThis investigation provides a background against which Hong Kong’s policymakers could devise a paradiplomatic strategy. This study suggests that political and social actors in Hong Kong must help to strengthen the city’s global position through strategic investments and the deployment of its soft power at home and aboard. The paradiplomacy of Hong Kong can serve as one of the effective tools to improve the legitimacy of “One Country, Two Systems.”Originality/valueThere is no study on the application of soft power under the framework of paradiplomacy. This paper represents a new direction of research in the area of Hong Kong, international status and its external affairs.

Hong Kong in the world: continuities and changes

Purpose To fill the gap in the existing literature on the 20th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the purpose of this paper is to critically reflect upon the continuities and changes of the city’s relations with the world. Design/methodology/approach The paper has adopted a generic approach to shed light on the factors behind the evolution of the international status of Hong Kong from a by-product of geopolitics to a global city in its own right, to understand how the city has been perceived by traditional western partners after 1997 and to investigate how China has made use Hong Kong’s international status. Findings It has shown that Beijing’s strategy toward Hong Kong has been marred by the inherent tensions between “becoming Chinese” and “remaining global.” The official discourse of functionalism, according to which economic and professional ties are both the most acceptable and therefore the least resisted pathways available for the development of Hong Kong’s external relations, has the opposite effect of expanding Beijing’s control over the city. Originality/value In contrast to the HKSAR Government’s belief that Hong Kong will certainly benefit from the emergence of China, the city has found itself on a shorter leash than ever. It has therefore pinpointed the pitfalls of the logic of functionalism which has dominated the existing literature as much as the policy-making process.

Contesting brandscapes in Hong Kong: Exploring youth activist experiences of the contemporary consumerist landscape

Since the 2000s, Hong Kong has become inundated with retail centres, such that the territory is now known as ‘Mall City’, a condition now problematised by youth activists in the city. This article is interested in why these youths take issue with this form of urban development. By tracing the emergence of the contemporary consumerist landscape from the colonial era to the present, it is shown that the current manifestation and characteristics of Hong Kong’s brandscapes are the product of unequal power dynamics between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, estate developers and the Hong Kong citizenry in shaping the city. By bringing youth activist voices to the forefront through the use of ethnographic data, the discussion then examines youth activist accounts detailing the experiential dimensions of living in this consumerist landscape, noting the feelings of alienation and exploitation circulating within the vernacular domains of Hong Kong society. The article concludes by reviewing the different ways these youths have attempted to reconfigure their relationship with this brandscape, and thus challenge the control the HKSAR government and estate developers have over Hong Kong urban space.

Computer Simulation Aided Study of a Real-time Energy Benchmarking Parameter for Lift Systems under different Traffic Control Schemes

At present, there are benchmarking parameters to assess the energy performance of lifts, e.g. one in Germany adopted by VDI (4707-1/2), one internationally published by ISO (BS EN ISO 25745-2:2015), and the other in Hong Kong adopted by The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. These parameters are mainly checking and governing the energy consumed by a lift drive without considering real time passenger demands and traffic conditions, the one in Hong Kong pinpointing a fully loaded up-journey under rated speed while the two in Europe pinpointing a round trip, bottom floor to top floor and return with an empty car, though including energy consumed by lighting, displays, ventilation etc. A holistic normalization method (So et al 2005, Lam et al 2006) was developed more than ten years ago by the first author of this article, which can simultaneously assess both drive efficiency and traffic control performance, termed &lt;J/kg-m&gt; which is the name of the parameter measured in unit, J/kgm, and is now adopted by the HKSAR Government as a good practice in the Technical Guidelines of the Energy Code, but not yet enforced in the mandatory code. In Europe, the energy unit of Wh has been used but here, the unit of Joule (J), i.e. Ws, is adopted to discriminate the difference between the two concepts. In this article, such parameter is evaluated under different drives and lift traffic control scenarios by using computer simulations, with the aim of arriving at a reasonable figure for benchmarking an energy efficient lift system with both an efficient drive as well as an efficient supervisory traffic control. This parameter could also compare the performance of different types of intelligent car dispatcher.

Econometric Analysis of Monthly Peak-Hour and Total Usage Patterns of Hong Kong’s Cross-Harbor Tunnels

As one of the most densely populated metropolises in the world, Hong Kong daily sees severe traffic delays at the Cross-Harbour Tunnel (CHT), though not at the Eastern Harbour Crossing (EHC) or the Western Harbour Crossing (WHC). In 2013, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government proposed raising the tolls of the publicly owned CHT and lowering those of the publicly owned EHC for nine vehicle types: private cars, motorcycles, taxis, three kinds of buses, and three kinds of goods vehicles. The privately owned WHC’s already high tolls, however, would remain unchanged. Using monthly usage and peak-hour usage data for January 2003 through June 2015, a Generalized Leontief demand system was estimated and found that private cars, motorcycles, and goods vehicles have price-sensitive tunnel usage patterns that are also time-dependent. The usage patterns of taxis and buses, which are public transportation vehicles, are totally price-insensitive. These findings suggest that the HKSAR Government’s proposed toll changes would reduce the CHT’s monthly usage by 7.4%–12.2%, and peak-hour usage by 5.0–16.8%. These usage reduction estimates suggest that a time-of-use (TOU) toll design can better manage CHT congestion than the current non-TOU design.

How do ideas and discourses construct youth policies? The case of Hong Kong

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the youth narratives of Mr Leung Chun-ying, the Chief Executive (CE) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government between 2012 and 2017, which steered the directions of youth policies in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach Informed by the ideational school of institutionalism, a qualitative documentary study was conducted to analyse the policy addresses, speeches, and blog posts delivered by the then CE, which were all available on the website of the HKSAR Government. It was through a thematic analysis of the database that themes and sub-themes were generated for the discussion. Representative verbatim quotes are used for illustrating some of the youth policy ideas and discourses promoted under the Leung’s regime. Findings The findings suggest that the governing youth narratives could be categorised into two interrelated themes: behavioural patriotism and economic opportunism. The notions of youth development constructed in the narratives of Leung shape the definition of youth-related problems and solutions in relation to national identity and global competition. Research limitations/implications This study focusses on the previous term of HKSAR Government that cannot fully reveal the extent of policy continuities and changes. Yet, it could outline the overall picture and address the shortcomings of Hong Kong’s current youth policies viewed from both normative and cognitive perspectives. Methodological and analytical implications can be drawn for further studies on policy ideas and discourses. Originality/value The paper has two major contributions; the first of which is the illustration of an analytical framework connecting contents, tools, and justification of policies for capturing the dynamics and complexities of youth policies. Second, the findings of this study develop a critical understanding of neoliberal youth policies in both economic and moral senses that pose new challenges to young people and policy makers.

The shifting of health responsibility from government to people in Hong Kong

With a view to putting in place a sustainable healthcare system, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) has been working on a healthcare reform package stating the reasons for the reform and proposing some cost control initiatives. One reform initiative proposed is the Health Protection Scheme which aims to encourage the public to take out health insurance to enable themselves to pay for healthcare services provided by the private sector during both their working and retirement periods instead of relying on the public healthcare sector as the majority of Hong Kong people have been. This paper describes how the HKSARG and its related bodies convince the public to accept such a shift of financial responsibility by using various discursive strategies in constructing the discourse in the healthcare reform documents.

Flood relief solutions in metropolitan cities the Hong Kong experience theme: planning for sustainable water solutions oral presentation

In the older urban areas of Hong Kong, the stormwater drainage systems were built decades ago with older protection standards and became inadequate due to aging of the systems and expansion of the built-up urban areas. Although the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) has been making improvements to the drainage systems to cater for the developments, some parts of the city are still susceptible to flooding during heavy rainstorms when coincided with high tide. To relieve the flooding problems in well–developed urban areas, HKSARG adopted floodwater reception approach to overcome the limitations of conventional approach like expansion or enhancement of existing drainage systems, through increasing the size of drains or duplications. This paper presents the background and planning of the floodwater reception schemes in the urban areas of Hong Kong and the challenges to deliver such an innovative, sustainable, efficient and integrated engineering solution for the city.

Competing citizenship identities in the global age: The case of Hong Kong

This article explores the struggles between differing of multiple citizenship identities of Hong Kong people. Firstly, it discusses the tension caused by contesting portraits of local identity of being 'Hongkongese' by comparing the version portrayed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and the version reflected in the political experiences of Hong Kong people. Then it explores the tensions caused by competing versions of national identity as reflected in the debates in civic education, followed by the exploration of the tension between the local identity of being Hongkongese and the national identity of being Chinese in the context of grand projects on national education by the government. Then, the article investigates conflicting global and national identities, and the inadequacy of global identity portrayed by the HKSAR government. Finally, it argues that a comprehensive global identity could make a greater contribution to China, as both Hong Kong and China are marching forward together sharing a common fate, in facing a rapidly globalizing era. Hopefully, this article will serve as an example of how conflicting multiple identities could be addressed in the global era.

Use of high-resolution MM5/CALMET/CALPUFF system: SO 2 apportionment to air quality in Hong Kong

Recent research has highlighted the substantial health-related costs of air pollution in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the potential threat from air pollution to HKSARs economic competitiveness. In order to address the air pollution problems, this paper seeks to analyse the individual contributions of major sulphur dioxide (SO 2) sources in the Pearl River Delta Region (PRDR) (Pearl River Delta + HKSAR) on the air quality in the HKSAR. This study employed the coupling of the MM5/CALMET system with the CALPUFF, the multi-layer, non-steady-state puff dispersion model, where major power plants, marine vessels and vehicles, all in the PRDR, are taken into account. The observation data and simulation results at 11 Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department (HKEPD) general (non-road-side) stations are analyzed. Urban (in-zone) and Rural (out-zone) stations are defined in order to examine the SO 2 contribution of different emission sources in different regions of the HKSAR. The model results show that the contribution of the HKSAR marine sources is significant both in summer and in winter, especially for the locations around the in-zone stations (in general 60%, and 55% in summer and winter respectively). In addition, the contribution of the HKSAR power plants is slightly higher than that of the PRD power plants in early summer, with a contribution difference of up to 20% when the prevailing wind is from the south. However, in late summer, this situation reverses. In winter, the contribution of the PRD power plants is two to three times greater than that of the HKSAR power plants. Moreover, Yantian port affects the northern part of the HKSAR when a northeasterly wind dominates the HKSAR. In order to solve these air pollution problems, the main implication of these results suggests that the HKSAR government, in close co-operation with the Guangdong government, needs to take immediate action.

Construction and demolition materials management in Hong Kong

The management of construction and demolition materials is a problem being tackled by many government agencies worldwide. The problem is particularly acute in Hong Kong due to rapid economic development and urban renewal over recent decades, and the situation is aggravated by the dense population on a small plot of usable land. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government is implementing many initiatives in both public and private sectors to handle the ever-increasing municipal problem. Some of these strategies and practice are reviewed in this paper. The effectiveness of these initiatives is being closely monitored by the HKSAR government and adjustments are being made from time to time as required.

An Assessment of Toxic Substances Pollution in the Hong Kong Marine Environment

ABSTRACT The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) commissioned a consultancy study in 1999 to better understand the potential sources, fates, and existing pollution state of toxic substances in Hong Kong's marine environment. A desk-top survey and assessment was first performed on a comprehensive initial list of 556 toxic substances. A Preliminary Priority Toxic Substances List (PPTSL) of 135 chemicals was established, consisting of heavy metals, inorganic compounds, organo-metallic compounds, and trace organics. A territory-wide baseline field sampling and laboratory analysis exercise was then undertaken during 2001–2002 to determine the level of these PPTSL chemicals in the potential pollution sources (effluent discharges, stormwater discharges, air deposition) and the receiving marine environment (water, sediment, biota). A draft Priority Toxic Substances List (PTSL) was developed, taking into account chemicals detected in the local marine environment and those listed under the Stockholm Convention, the Rotterdam Convention, and the International Maritime Organization's Harmful Antifouling System Convention. The draft PTSL chemicals were subject to ecological and incremental human health risk assessments. Based on the risk assessment results, 17 Chemicals of Potential Concern (COPC) for Hong Kong's marine environment were identified, most of which were heavy metals in the sediment. The study findings suggest that Hong Kong's marine environment is not widely polluted with chemicals present at concentrations of toxicological concern. Although a number of potentially problematic pollutants (COPC) were identified, they are confined to a few “hot spots” and are unlikely to pose a territory-wide risk. Based on the study recommendations, the EPD initiated in 2004 a toxic substances monitoring program to keep the COPC in the marine environment under close surveillance.

Executive Government Reform in Hong Kong

The first Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ran from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 2002. Although it is still the case that neither the Chief Executive of the HKSAR nor any of his 'Ministers' are popularly elected, a significant change to Hong Kong's governance structure commenced on the appointment of the second HKSAR Government. The official name for this remodelling of Hong Kong's Executive Government is the 'Principal Officials Accountability System' (POAS). It is more generally referred to as the new 'Ministerial System'. This article critically reviews the development of and initial operation of the POAS.

Trade, Sustainability, and the WTO: Environmental Protection in the Hong Kong SAR

1. INTRODUCTION Environmental well-being affects human health. An important yardstick in measuring the environmental well-being of coastal states is the sustainability of fisheries. (1) A recent study has suggested that the world's fish catch might be much smaller than previously reported. (2) Nevertheless, the decline of world's fishery has become a matter of international concern. (3) As a coastal jurisdiction, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is obliged to ensure through proper conservation and management measures that the maintenance of the living resources in its exclusive economic zone is not endangered by over-exploitation. (4) Notwithstanding that the fishery sector is not substantial from a global economy aspect, the fishery sector has a major impact on some coastal nation states and fishery products are a major component in world trade. (5) The most important factors contributing to the depletion in fishery resources are environmentally harmful fishery subsidies and inadequate fishery management. (6) Fishery subsidies have partly contributed to the over-expansion of fishing boats, and, as a result, created excessive harvesting. (7) Inadequate fishery management includes lack of implementation and poor enforcement of environmental protection legislation regulating air and water pollution in ensuring a sustainable environment. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides sovereign rights over an exclusive economic zone to each coastal state. Every state has sovereign rights for the purpose of conserving and managing the marine resources and protecting and preserving the marine environment. (8) These measures are designed to maintain or restore populations of harvested species at levels which can produce the maximum sustainable yield. (9) The People's Republic of China (China) is a signatory state to the Convention. (10) As the HKSAR is now a special administrative region of China, it inevitably has a duty to honor the international obligations made between China and other members of the international community, as they apply to the HKSAR. (11) Accordingly, the HKSAR has to operate within the ambit of the UNCLOS, to which China is a signatory state. (12) The Basic Law of the HKSAR (Basic Law) authorizes the HKSAR to participate in relevant international organizations and to enter into international trade agreements on its own. (13) However, it also provides that the Central People's Government (CPG) shall be responsible for the foreign affairs relating to the HKSAR. (14) However, the CPG has to consult the HKSAR Government before such international agreements are extended to the Region. (15) International agreements made prior to resumption of exercise of sovereignty by China over Hong Kong on July 1, 1997, remain unchanged. (16) These include the founding membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO). International environmental law is a developing area in the HKSAR, which is subject to seventeen multilateral environmental agreements (MEA) dealing with water pollution and conservation as of December 200. (17) It was not until 1977 that an Environmental Protection Unit was established in the HKSAR. (18) Its powers, however, were merely supervisory. (19) This unit was upgraded to an Environmental Protection Agency in 1981. Finally, in 1986, the Environmental Protection Department was established and was empowered with pollution prevention and control measures. (20) While the then colonial administrative did not give environmental issues a high priority, (21) a number of these MEAs were made, including the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol) and the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Basel Convention). Although the HKSAR is allowed to exercise a high degree of autonomy, (22) it may not enter into any international agreement on its own other than trade agreements. …