UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH (in Cantonese):

Deputy President, over the past year or so, COVID-19 has ravaged the world and brought unprecedented and severe challenges to Hong Kong. In the course of fighting the epidemic, the SAR Government has been paying very close attention to the developments of the epidemic situation both globally and locally in order to take appropriate anti-epidemic measures and respond to the volatile epidemic situation in a timely manner.

 

In the light of the development of the epidemic situation, the Government has implemented a series of social distancing measures. While we thank the general public for actively cooperating with the anti-epidemic efforts of the SAR Government, we understand that the livelihood of different industries has been hard hit by the epidemic and is in urgent need of support. The Food and Health Bureau already launched four rounds of relief measures successively through the Anti-epidemic Fund ("AEF") to provide immediate financial relief to such sectors as the catering industry, bars or pubs, clubs or nightclubs, licensed hawkers, karaoke establishments and commercial bathhouses to help them tide over the difficulties. As of mid-June this year, about $13 billion in total had been approved under various subsidy schemes.

 

We also launched the subsidy scheme for promotion of contactless payment in public markets and for licensed hawkers, with the aim of reducing the risk of virus transmission in the environment to safeguard public health.

 

In addition, in October 2019, the Government waived the fees payable for food business licences, karaoke establishment permits, commercial bathhouse licenses, liquor licences, etc. for 12 months as a means to provide additional assistance in coping with the blow dealt by the epidemic. Subsequently, in October 2020, it continued to waive the licence fees of affected industries for another 12 months until September this year to further support hard-hit industries affected by the epidemic.

 

The Government also rendered support to the agriculture and fisheries industries by providing about $350 million of subsidies under AEF, including a one-off subsidy to local primary producers and eligible wholesale traders operating in the fresh food wholesale markets. Moreover, it offered an arrangement of interest-free deferral of loan repayment for a period of one year to loan borrowers under the Fisheries Development Loan Fund.

 

Just now, Members were concerned about the arrangements for freelance performers in different places as well as the coaches and users at fitness centres. Actually, the SAR Government has introduced the latest arrangements this week. Adopting the risk-based principle, it has further relaxed some of the social distancing measures in response to the aspiration of the community to resume normal activities. Under the new round of social distancing measures, the performers mentioned just now are allowed to perform in catering outlets, bars or clubs under specified circumstances, namely, when they have vaccinated and are wearing masks. As for fitness rooms, the arrangements may also be relaxed if both the coaches and users have received vaccination.

 

Among the new round of measures implemented based on the "vaccine bubble" concept, we have increased the maximum number of customers to be served for a number of businesses, including catering outlets, bars or pubs, clubs or nightclubs, party rooms and karaoke establishments. The relaxation measures concerned are also applicable to relevant facilities in exhibition venues, hotels and private club-houses. We hope that further relaxation of social distancing measures can give new impetus to all trades and industries.

 

Finally, I wish to reiterate here that vaccination is the most effective way for Hong Kong to come out of the epidemic and revive the economy. To this end, the SAR Government has rolled out various measures to encourage members of the public to get vaccinated, including providing vaccination leave for government employees, adopting "vaccine bubble" as the basis for relaxing social distancing measures, and facilitating the business sector and groups in organizing activities to promote vaccination.

 

Only by increasing the vaccination rate can we build a protective barrier for Hong Kong so that society can return to normalcy and resume economic activities early. This will truly help all trades and industries tide over the difficult times. Vaccination is the top priority among all anti-epidemic strategies. I continue to appeal here to those who have yet to receive vaccination to do so as soon as possible, so that Hong Kong can come out of the epidemic early. Thank you.