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"From ancient times the Church has had the custom of celebrating each day the liturgy of the hours. In this way the Church fulfills the Lord's precept to pray without ceasing, at once offering its praise to God the Father and interceding for the salvation of the world." – Office of the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship.
So what is the Liturgy of the Hours?


text:
gov.hk
Hong,
Kong,
Mainland,
Largest,
Hksar,
Competitiveness,
Www.gov.hk
Brand Hong Hong's visual identity
— a powerful and energetic dragon —
was designed to communicate the city's
historic link with a mythical icon.
The blue and green ribbons
that extend from the dragon
symbolise blue sky and
a sustainable environment,
while Lion Rock —
the famous landmark
that represents the Hong Kong people's
"can-do" spirit —
is silhouetted by the red ribbon.
The fluid shape of the ribbons
evokes versatility,
and the multiple colours
signify the city's diversity and dynamism.
ABOUT HONG KONG 4
International Trading Centre
Global Services Centre
International Corporate Base
Free Trade and Free Market
Monetary System
The Rule of Law
ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS 9
International Financial Centre
Economic Links with the Mainland
LIVING IN HONG KONG 16
Pollution and Environmental Control
Tax System
Mandatory Provident Fund
COMING TO HONG KONG 32
Traditional Festivals
THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG 38
Asia's Cyber City for the Cyber Century
Infrastructure Projects for the 21st Century
HONG KONG : THE FACTS 44
USEFUL CONTACTS 47
ABOUT HONG KONG
Hong Kong, described
as a 'barren rock' some
150 years ago, is today
a world-class financial,
trading and business
centre and, indeed,
a great world city.
Hong Kong has no
mineral resources,
but has one of the
finest deep-water ports in the world. A hardworking,
entrepreneurial and well-educated population of more
than 7 million people serve as the foundation of
Hong Kong's productivity and creativity.
Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region
(SAR) of the People's Republic of China on July 1, 1997,
after a century and a half of British administration. Under
Hong Kong's constitutional document, the Basic Law,
the existing economic, legal and social systems will be
maintained for 50 years. The SAR enjoys a high degree of
autonomy except in defence and foreign affairs.
Situated at the south-eastern tip of China, Hong Kong
is ideally positioned at the centre of rapidly developing
East Asia. With a total area of 1 104 square kilometres,
the territory comprises Hong Kong Island, Kowloon
Peninsula, and the New Territories — the more rural part
of Hong Kong, which also includes 262 outlying islands.
Hong Kong's population was slightly over 7 million in
2009, including a large foreign contingent of 553 497.
The three largest foreign groups were from Indonesia
(147 883), the Philippines (140 708) and Thailand
(28 049). The average population density was 6 480
people per square kilometre.
Chinese and English are
the official languages.
English is widely used
within the Government
and also by the legal,
professional and
business sectors. There
is no shortage of welleducated,
bilingual or even
trilingual professionals
who speak English, Cantonese and Putonghua — a vital
requirement for any enterprise trading in Hong Kong or
doing business with the Mainland and Taiwan.
Hong Kong's climate is sub-tropical, tending towards
temperate for nearly half the year. Temperatures can drop
below 10 degrees Celsius in winter and often exceed
31 degrees Celsius in summer. About 90 per cent of the
rainfall occurs between April and September.
Hong Kong is the world's 11th largest trading economy,
its sixth largest foreign exchange market, 15th largest
banking centre and Asia's third biggest stock market.
Hong Kong is also one of the world's top exporters of
garments, watches and clocks, toys, games, electronic
products and certain light industrial products.
Hong Kong was the world's 11th largest exporter of
services in 2009. Travel and tourism, trade-related
services, transportation services, financial and banking
services and professional services are the main
components of the city's trade in services.
In 2009, the government
assisted a record 265
overseas, Mainland and
Taiwanese companies in
setting up or expanding
their business presence
in Hong Kong. These
companies came from
a variety of business sectors, including: business and
professional services; consumer, retail and sourcing;
financial services; information technology; tourism and
entertainment; technology; telecommunications, media,
multi-media and transportation, etc. They accounted for
direct investment of about HK$4.4 billion and will create
more than 6 000 new jobs within the first two years of
operation or expansion in Hong Kong.
According to a government survey, Hong Kong was host
to 6 397 overseas, Mainland and Taiwanese companies
representing parent companies located outside Hong
Kong as at June 1, 2009. Of those companies, 3 580
served as regional headquarters or regional offices.
Hong Kong advocates and practises free trade — a free
and liberal investment regime with no trade barriers,
no discrimination against overseas investors, freedom
of capital movement, well-established rule of law,
transparent regulations, low and predictable taxation.
Hong Kong has a small and efficient government
structure. Corporate and personal taxes are low and
simple to calculate. The HKSAR Government is well
known for its efficiency, transparency and fairness. It
readily lends a helping hand to business people and
companies under the guiding principle of 'market leads,
government facilitates'.
The aim of Hong Kong's monetary policy is to maintain
currency stability. Given the highly externally oriented
nature of the economy, this aim is further accommodated
by linking the Hong Kong dollar's exchange rate to the
US dollar, set at $7.80 to US$1. The Linked Exchange
Rate System was introduced in October 1983.
Hong Kong has a well-established and trusted legal
system based on the common
law. The rights and freedoms
of Hong Kong people and
others living here are founded
on the impartial rule of law,
an independent judiciary, a
comprehensive system of legal
aid, and a free and active press.
Hong Kong is a major international and regional aviation
hub. Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), one of
the busiest in the world, is served by around 90 airlines
providing passenger and/or freight services to around 150
destinations worldwide, including some 40 cities in the
Mainland.
Annual passenger volume and air traffic movements
recorded year-on-year reduction of 4.62 per cent and
7.2 per cent in 2009, to 44.97 million and 279 429
respectively. Air cargo volume in the same period
decreased 7.6 per cent to 3.35 million tonnes.
Since opening in July 1998, HKIA has been named
the world's best airport over 25 times by 10 awarding
agencies. In 2009, HKIA was again recognised by Airports
Council International as the world's best airport serving
over 40 million passengers annually.
In 2009, Hong Kong handled 21.04 million TEUs
(20-foot equivalent units) of containers, making it one of
the world's busiest container ports. The nine container
terminals at Kwai Chung-Tsing Yi are managed by
five operators, covering an area of 279 hectares and
providing 24 berths with a frontage of 7 694 metres.
The water depth at Kwai Chung-Tsing Yi basin is 15.5
metres and the total handling capacity of the terminals is
over 19 million TEUs per year. During 2009, about 33 160
ocean-going vessels and 172 350 river-trade vessels called
at Hong Kong. These vessels handled 243 million tonnes
of cargo and carried about 24 million passengers.
Economic Competitiveness
Hong Kong is an international and cosmopolitan city,
known for its business-friendly environment, rule of
law, free trade and free flow of information, open and
fair competition, well-established and comprehensive
financial networks, superb transport and communications
infrastructure, sophisticated support services, and
a well-educated workforce complemented by a pool of
efficient and energetic entrepreneurs. Coupled with these
assets are substantial foreign exchange reserves, a fully
convertible and stable currency, and a simple tax system
with low tax rates.
A Free Economy
Hong Kong has for the
16th consecutive year
retained its rating as the
freest economy in the
world in the 2010 Index
of Economic Freedom
published by The Heritage
Foundation since 1995.
The Cato Institute in the United States, in conjunction
with more than 75 economic institutes worldwide, has
also ranked Hong Kong as the world's freest economy
since 1970. The International Monetary Fund classifies
Hong Kong as an advanced economy. Other highly
regarded institutions - like the International Institute
of Management Development and the Economist
Intelligence Unit — also identify Hong Kong as one of
the world's most competitive business centres.
Hong Kong remained one of the two largest foreign
direct investment (FDI) destinations in Asia, according
to the World Investment Report 2009 published by the
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD).
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Growth
Over the past two decades, the Hong Kong economy
has more than doubled in size, with GDP growing at
an average annual rate of 3.8 per cent in real terms.
This means that Hong Kong has outperformed the
world economy as well as those of the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development. Per capita
GDP in Hong Kong nearly doubled during the same
period, registering an average annual growth rate of
2.7 per cent in real terms.
Hong Kong has long been well known for its marketled
economic policy. 'Market-led' means that the
Government does not seek to direct or plan the course
the economy should take, as investors and entrepreneurs
are deemed to understand the markets far better
than officials. Economic vitality is seen as the key to
maintaining Hong Kong's competitiveness and prosperity.
Big Market, Small Government
Under the guiding principle of 'big market, small
government', the Government's primary role is to provide
the most business-friendly conditions. These include
the fundamental 'software' of personal liberty, the rule
of law, a clean and efficient administration and a level
playing field for all businesses, as well as infrastructural
'hardware' such as schools and roads vital to
Hong Kong's growth.
In addition, the Government
has a special responsibility
for removing market
restrictions and promoting
fair competition. It has
made considerable strides
in liberalising the securities,
futures and banking
industries, and in opening
up the telecommunications,
and broadcasting markets.
The Government also has
responsibility to remove
barriers to industries where
Hong Kong enjoys competitive advantages and help them
tap into new markets.
The Government protects and promotes Hong Kong's
commercial interests in the international arena through
representation in such forums as the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) and the Asia-Pacific Economic
Co-operation, and by negotiating and entering into
bilateral arrangements, such as those for air services.
Prudent Fiscal Practice
The Government adheres to prudent fiscal practice,
while maintaining a simple tax structure with low tax
rates that provide people with an incentive to work and
entrepreneurs with incentive to invest. The corporate
profits tax rate and salaries tax rate, at 16.5 per cent
and 15 per cent respectively, are low by international
Hong Kong is an international financial centre with an
integrated network of financial institutions and markets.
The Government's policy is to maintain and develop a
sound legal, regulatory, infrastructural and administrative
framework; to provide a level playing field for all market
participants; to maintain the stability of the financial and
monetary systems and to enable Hong Kong to compete
effectively against other financial centres.
In addition, a favourable geographical position that
bridges the time gap between North America and
Europe, strong links with the Mainland and other
economies in Southeast Asia and excellent
communications with the rest of the world have also
helped Hong Kong become an important international
financial centre. The absence of restrictions on capital
flows into and out of Hong Kong is another plus.
Hong Kong's
financial markets are
distinguished by a
high degree of
liquidity. They operate
under effective and
transparent regulations
that meet international
standards. A highly
educated workforce and ease of entry for overseas
professionals further contribute to the development of
the financial markets.
The Banking Sector
The international financial community has a strong
presence in Hong Kong. At the end of December 2009,
Hong Kong had 145 licensed banks, of which 135 were
foreign-owned. Of the world's top 100 banks, 69 had
operations in the HKSAR. A further 71 foreign banks had
representative offices here. The banking sector's external
assets are among the largest in the world.
Exchange Market
Hong Kong has a mature and active foreign exchange
market, which is an integral part of the global market.
Links with centres overseas enable foreign exchange
dealing to take place 24 hours a day worldwide.
Hong Kong is the world's sixth largest centre for foreign
exchange trading, according to the 2007 triennial
global survey conducted by the Bank for International
Settlements.
Stock and Bond Markets
Hong Kong's stock market is one of the world's largest
in terms of market capitalisation. At the end of December
2009, 1 319 public companies were listed on the
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited with a
total market capitalisation of $17,874 billion
(US$2,304.6 billion). The stock market is the third largest
in Asia.
The Government has boosted the development of the
bond market in recent years by providing the necessary
financial infrastructure, simplifying the issuance process,
removing regulatory impediments, offering tax incentives
and encouraging public corporations to issue bonds.
Investor education on bond investment has also been
strengthened. Hong Kong's debt market has developed
into one of the most liquid markets in the region.
In December 2009, the Hong Kong dollar debt market
grew further, with the total outstanding amount rising to
$1,111.3 billion, a 55.1% increase from a year earlier.
Hong Kong is the premier gateway for trade with and
investment in the Mainland, and for Mainland trade
with the rest of the world. Since the Mainland adopted
its economic reform and open-door policy in 1978,
economic links with Hong Kong have gone from strength
to strength.
China's accession to the WTO in 2001 was indicative of
the success of its economic reform policies.
With rapid economic growth over the past three decades,
the Mainland is now the third largest economy in the
world. Hong Kong has the unique advantage of having
the Mainland as its hinterland while also retaining
an international outlook. As a business hub and an
international financial centre, Hong Kong will continue
to contribute to and benefit from the rapid economic
developments in the Mainland.
Trade with the Mainland
The Mainland is Hong Kong's largest trading partner,
accounting for 49 per cent of Hong Kong's total trade
value in 2009. About 90 per cent of Hong Kong's
re-export trade is linked to the Mainland, making it both
the largest market for and the largest source of
Hong Kong's re-exports.
Hong Kong is a major services centre for the Mainland
generally and for the Pearl River Delta in particular,
providing a wide range of financial and other business
support services like banking and finance, insurance,
transport, accounting and sales promotion.
Investments between Hong Kong and the Mainland
Hong Kong companies are the largest external investors
in the Mainland, with cumulative investments of more
than US$396 billion accounting for 41 per cent of the
total value of inward direct investment as at end-2009.
Hong Kong's closest economic links are with Guangdong
Province, which accounted for 30.4 per cent
(or US$103 billion) of the total stock of Hong Kong's
outward direct investment to the Mainland at end-2008.
The Outline Plan for the Reform and Development of the
Pearl River Delta elevates co-operation between
Hong Kong and Guangdong on all fronts to a national
strategic level, and provides for the early and pilot
implementation of various measures in Guangdong.
The Mainland is also a major investor in Hong Kong's
economy. As at June 2009, there were 750 regional
headquarters, regional offices and local offices with
parent companies located in the Mainland.
Total direct investment from the Mainland amounted
to US$298 billion in 2008, making it one of the largest
sources of external direct investment.
Implementation of the Closer Economic Partnership
Arrangement (CEPA)
CEPA has further enhanced economic links between the
two places. Under CEPA, the Mainland offers preferential
access opportunities for Hong Kong products and
services, outside the auspices of China's commitments
within the WTO. CEPA came into full implementation
on January 1, 2004, and further liberalisation measures
continue to be introduced. The two sides signed
Supplement VII to CEPA on May 27, 2010, bringing in a
new package of services liberalisation and co-operation
measures beginning January 2011.
Gateway to the Mainland
Hong Kong is a key gateway to the Mainland for both
business and tourism. In 2009 about 68 million trips were
made by Hong Kong residents to the Mainland by land.
Additionally, over four million foreign visitors made trips
to the Mainland through Hong Kong. In 2009, there
were more than
160 ferry trips,
about 200 flights,
train connections
and 40 400 vehicle
crossings between
Hong Kong and
the Mainland
Under the Basic Law, the HKSAR enjoys a high degree
of autonomy except in foreign affairs and defence.
The HKSAR exercises executive, legislative and
independent judicial power, including that of final
adjudication.
The Chief Executive
The Chief Executive is the head of the HKSAR. He is
advised on major decisions by the Executive Council, the
members of which are appointed by the Chief Executive.
The HKSAR has a two-tier system of representative
government. The Legislative Council enacts laws,
examines and approves budgets introduced by
the government and approves taxation and public
expenditure. All 60 members of the Legislative Council
are elected, and the term of office is four years. The
Legislative Council's fourth term election was held on
September 7, 2008.
At the district level, 18 District Councils advise on the
of policies in their
respective districts.
The District Councils
are composed of 405
elected members,
27 ex-officio members
and 102 appointed
members, and the
term of office is four
years. The third District
Council Election was
held on November 18,
The Government introduced the Political Appointment
System in 2002. Under the system, Secretaries of
Department and Directors of Bureau are served by
political appointees, who assume political responsibility
for matters falling within their
respective portfolios. In 2008,
two additional layers of political
appointees, namely Deputy
Directors of Bureau and Political
Assistants were created,
to assist them in undertaking
political work. The Civil Service
remains the backbone of the
Government and continues to
assist in policy formulation and
The HKSAR's legal system is firmly based on the rule of
law and the independence of the Judiciary. Under the
principle of 'one country, two systems', the HKSAR's
legal system is different from that of the Mainland, and is
based on the common law.
A key element in the HKSAR's continuing success is
its judicial system, which operates on the principle
— fundamental to the common law system — of
independence from the executive and legislative branches
of government. The courts make their own judgments,
whether disputes before them involve private citizens,
corporate bodies or the Government itself.
The Court of Final Appeal
The Court of Final Appeal (CFA) is the highest appellate
court in the HKSAR, and is headed by the Chief Justice.
The CFA consists of three permanent judges, a panel of
three non-permanent Hong Kong judges and 11 nonpermanent
judges from other common law jurisdictions.
In hearing and determining appeals, the court will
consist of five judges, and the court may, as required,
invite a non-permanent Hong Kong judge or a nonpermanent
judge from
other common law
jurisdictions to sit on
the court. The Chief
Justice is the head of
the Judiciary and he is
assisted in the overall
administration by the
Judiciary Administrator.
Manpower is Hong Kong's most treasured asset and
key to the HKSAR's economic competitiveness. The
Government seeks to ensure that the workforce remains
dynamic, well-motivated, adaptable and provided with
the means for continuous improvement.
In 2009, Hong Kong's labour force was about
3.68 million, of which 53.4 per cent were men and
46.6 per cent were women. The majority of employed
people were engaged in the services sector, with
33 per cent in import / export, wholesale and retail
trades, and accommodation and food services; 25 per
cent in public administration, and social and personal
services; 18 per cent in financing and insurance, real
estate, and professional and business services; and
12 per cent in transportation, storage, postal and courier
services, and information and communications. Only
4 per cent worked in the manufacturing sector.
In 2009, the average monthly wage for supervisory,
technical, clerical and miscellaneous non-production
workers in the import/
export and wholesale
trades section was
$14,275 (US$1,841).
The average daily wage
was $315 (US$41) for
craftsmen and operatives
in the manufacturing
Education is one of the biggest items of public
expenditure, accounting for over one-fifth of total
recurrent public expenditure. The Government provides
financial assistance where necessary to ensure that no
student is deprived of education for lack of means.
12 Years' Free Education
Since 1978, the Government provided nine years of
free and universal basic education (6 years of primary
education and 3 years of junior secondary education)
through public sector primary and secondary schools.
Starting from the 2008-09 school year, free education
was extended to include senior secondary education
provided by public sector secondary schools. Also
beginning from the same school year, the Government
fully subsidises full-time courses offered by the Vocational
Training Council for Secondary 3 school leavers to further
their studies.
Hong Kong has 12 degree-awarding higher education
institutions, including seven universities and a teacher
training institution, all of which are funded by the
University Grants Committee. The other four institutions
are the Open University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong
Academy for Performing Arts, the Hong Kong Shue Yan
University and Chu Hai College of Higher Education.
The Government's healthcare policy aims to ensure that
no one should be denied adequate medical treatment
through lack of means. To this end, a range of services
and facilities is provided to complement those in the
private sector and to meet the needs of patients who
cannot afford medical attention.
At the end of 2009,
the number of hospital
beds was about
35 000. The bedpopulation
ratio was
5 beds per 1 000
population. There
were about 12 400
registered doctors, or
about 1.8 doctors per 1 000 people.
There are 41 public hospitals and institutions in
Hong Kong. Fees in public hospitals and clinics are
heavily subsidised. For Hong Kong residents, the
residential charge in the general wards is $100 per day
for 'acute beds' and $68 per day for 'non-acute beds',
with a general admission fee of $50 covering diet, X-ray
examinations, laboratory tests, medicine (within the
range provided), and many forms of special treatment,
including surgery, radiotherapy and physiotherapy.
There are 13 private hospitals, whose charges range from
an average of about $540 a day for a bed in a general
ward to approximately $2,100 or more for a first class
ward. Patients have to pay for items, such as medicine
and dressings, in addition to the daily attendance fees for
doctors.
Hong Kong people continue to enjoy good health,
due to extensive preventive measures implemented by
the Government through its Family Health Service, the
Port Health Service, the Student Health Service, the
School Dental Care Service and many other community
health services. These services contribute to Hong Kong's
remarkably low infant and maternal mortality rates,
which are comparable to the best in the world.
Government spending on housing accounted for
5.6 per cent of total public expenditure in 2009-10.
Public Rental Housing
It is Government policy to provide public rental
housing for families who cannot afford private rental
accommodation and in this respect the public rental
housing programme is a major social achievement.
As at December 2009, about 2.1 million people lived in
estates managed
by the Hong Kong
(HKHA) and the
Hong Kong Housing
Society (HKHS).
At end of 2009, the
stock comprised
745 400 flats.
Subsidised Home Ownership
Since 1978 more than 459 100 flats have been sold
to eligible families/persons at discounted prices under
the Government's various subsidised home ownership
schemes. These include the Home Ownership Scheme
(HOS), the Private Sector Participation Scheme (PSPS)
and the Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS), which operate
under the auspices of the HKHA. To support Government
housing policy, the HKHA terminated the PSPS and
ceased production and sale of HOS flats in 2003, and
ended the TPS in 2005. To dispose of surplus HOS flats,
the HKHA decided in early 2006 to sell some 16 700
surplus HOS flats in phases starting from 2007. By the
end of 2009, the HKHA had launched five sale phases
and sold some 13 300 surplus HOS flats (including about
1 200 flats under the HKHS).
About 52 per cent of Hong Kong's population lives in
private residential premises. The Government's policy is
to maintain a free, stable and transparent environment
to facilitate
the healthy
private residential
property market,
and ensure that
home buyers have
access to accurate
and comprehensive
Hong Kong is a highly
mobile city, where
people make over
11 million trips daily,
using an efficient,
economic and multimodal
system that includes
railways, trams, buses,
public light buses,
taxis and ferries. Public
transport services are
provided by private
operators or public
corporations without
direct subsidy from the
Railways form an important part of the public transport
system, accounting for some 35 per cent of the total daily
public transport volume. The existing railway network in
Hong Kong comprises the Mass Transit Railway (MTR),
Airport Express and Light Rail.
The MTR Network is a
heavily utilised railway
system consisting of
nine lines — Kwun
Tong Line, Tsuen Wan
Line, Island Line,
Tung Chung Line,
Tseung Kwan O Line,
Disneyland Resort Line,
East Rail Line, Ma On
Shan Line and West Rail Line. The total route length of
the MTR is currently about 175 kilometres and comprises
more than 80 stations.
The Airport Express provides services between central
Hong Kong and Hong Kong International Airport, and
has a route length of 35.3 kilometres.
The MTR and Airport Express networks carry a total of
about 3.8 million passenger trips on weekdays.
Light Rail, which is about 36.2 kilometres in length with
68 stops, is a local transportation network serving the
northwest New Territories. It carries about 385 000
passengers daily.
Trams have been running on Hong Kong Island since
1904. More than 160 trams make up the world's largest
fleet of double-decker trams in operation with about
231 000 passenger trips daily.
A cable-hauled funicular tramway operates between
Central and the Peak. The 1.4-kilometre line began
service in 1888, with trams climbing 373 metres on a
gradient as steep as one-in-two. The line carries about
13 300 passengers a day — mainly tourists and local
sightseers.
Franchised buses are the largest road-based passenger
carriers and account for about 34 per cent of the total
daily public transport volume, or some 3.8 million
passengers every day. About 570 bus routes are operated
by five franchised bus companies. These companies
manage a fleet of about 5 800 buses, the majority of
which are air-conditioned double-deckers. There are
also 4 350 public light buses, which are minibuses with
not more than 16 seats. They carry about 1.88 million
passengers daily, while there are 18 138 taxis carrying a
daily average of about 960 000 passengers.
Ferries provide an essential mode of transport for the
outlying islands and as an alternative means of public
transport to buses and railways in the inner harbour and
the new towns. About 140 000 passangers uses ferry
services daily.
Road Network
In 2009, Hong Kong had 2 050 kilometres of road,
including 1 276 road structures, 3 cross-harbour road
tunnels, 13 road tunnels through hills and 4 major
long-span bridges.
There was a total of
584 070 licensed
vehicles, including
393 812 private cars,
making Hong Kong
one of the least cardependent
cities in the
world. Although traffic
density remains high
because of the relatively
small urban area, traffic
generally flows smoothly
even during peak hours,
aided by the highly
efficient public transport
network.
The Government has been stepping up its efforts
in the battle against pollution since the late 1980s.
Achievements have been made in the provision of
safe and environmentally sound systems for handling
waste, and in the reduction of street-level air and noise
Hong Kong is now one of
Asia's leading cities in terms of
vehicle emission control and
fuel quality standards. Diesel
vehicles are responsible for
most of the roadside pollution
in the urban areas, and
government strategies include
tighter control on vehicle
emissions and cleaner fuel
vehicles wherever practicable.
Almost all taxis and about
60 per cent of the public
light buses run on liquefied
petroleum gas.
The Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) was adopted
by the Government to combat water pollution caused
by urban development around Victoria Harbour. A major
deep tunnel collector system and treatment works were
designed to handle sewage generated from all districts
around the harbour. So far, 24 kilometres of large
tunnels under the central urban area and a major sewage
treatment works at Stonecutters Island, able to manage
a flow of 1.7 million cubic metres of sewage per day,
have been commissioned. Construction work on Stage
2A of HATS has commenced in 2009 and completion
is expected in late 2014. Preparatory work on Stage 2B
is also proceeding apace. Expansion and upgrading of
the sewerage network and sewage treatment facilities
in other parts of Hong Kong continue, in order to meet
existing and future needs.
To tackle regional environmental issues, Hong Kong has
been co-operating with the authorities in Guangdong
Province through the Joint Working Group on Sustainable
Development and Environmental Protection. The two
governments have drawn up a Regional Air Quality
Management Plan that aims to jointly reduce the four
major air pollutant emissions by 20 per cent to
55 per cent by 2010, taking 1997 as the base year
and both sides are pressing ahead with the measures
necessary in order to achieve the emission reduction
targets. Since November 2005, a regional air quality
monitoring network (with 16 monitoring stations
covering the entire Pearl River Delta) has provided a daily
public report known as the Regional Air Quality Index. In
addition, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD),
in collaboration with the Guangdong authorities and
major industry associations in Hong Kong, launched a
Cleaner Production Partnership Programme in April 2008.
This five-year programme will provide technical support
to Hong Kong-owned factories in the Pearl River Delta
region to facilitate the adoption of cleaner production
technologies and practices.
To deepen co-operation with Guangdong, both sides
signed an Environmental Co-operation Agreement in
August 2009, including undertaking a joint study on the
post-2010 air emission reduction arrangements for the
Pearl River Delta region.
In addition, the EPD commissioned a joint study with
the Guangdong authorities in February 2010 to evaluate
the carrying capacity of the water bodies in the Pearl
River Estuary area. The joint study shall provide the two
governments with solid scientific bases for devising
management plans and strategies for controlling water
pollution in the Pearl River Estuary. Meanwhile,
Hong Kong and Guangdong are jointly implementing
action programmes to improve the water quality of
adjoining water bodies, including Deep Bay and Mirs Bay.
The EPD and the Shenzhen Habitation and Environment
Commission are taking forward action to strengthen
co-operation on environmental protection and promote
cleaner production.
Hong Kong is a safe city. The overall crime rate is lower
than Tokyo, and much lower than that of many other
major cities. There are strict firearms controls in
Hong Kong, making it very difficult to own a gun. Illegal
possession of a firearm is a serious offence. Hong Kong's
streets are safe for anyone to walk on, day or night.
Police maintain regular foot patrols in the urban and
suburban areas.
International surveys consistently rate Hong Kong as one
of the 'least-corrupt' places in Asia. The Independent
Commission Against Corruption ensures that government
and private firms operate fairly and honestly.
The Customs and Excise Department takes vigorous
action against copyright piracy and trademark
counterfeiting, and Hong Kong is a leader in the region
in the fight against pirated goods.
Hong Kong's tax system is one of the most businessfriendly
in the world — simple and low. Taxes are levied
only on three types of income — salaries, property and
profits. There is no value-added tax, sales tax or capital
gains tax. Only income sourced in Hong Kong is taxable.
Profits Tax
Profits are taxed if they are derived from, or arises in
connection with a trade, profession or business based in
Hong Kong. The tax rate is 16.5 per cent for corporations
and 15 per cent for non-corporate persons.
Salaries Tax
Everyone with an income arising in or derived from
Hong Kong from any office, employment or pension is
liable to salaries tax. The rate of tax is applied on a scale
graduated to the net chargeable income, but the total
salaries tax charged will not exceed 15 per cent of a
person's net assessable income after deductions.
Owners of land and/or buildings in Hong Kong are
charged property tax, which is based on the property's
rental income. The rate is 15 per cent on the annual rent
receivable, less an allowance of 20 per cent for repairs
and outgoings.
Under the Mandatory Provident
Fund System implemented in 2000,
all employees aged 18 to 65 (unless
specifically exempted) have to contribute
5 per cent of their relevant income, up
to a maximum contribution of $1,000
per month. This is matched by a contribution from the
employer.
By October 2009, about 99.9 per cent of employers,
98.9 per cent of relevant employees and 76.3 per cent
of self-employed people had enrolled in Mandatory
Provident Fund schemes.
The media have been an
important factor in
Hong Kong's success,
since an unrestricted flow
of information and ideas
help to support the free
economy. The media have
played a key role in helping to transform the economy
to one centred on information and services. This role
will be pivotal in the years to come, as information
becomes an even more important ingredient of economic
Hong Kong's print media are among the most vibrant
in Asia. As at end-December 2009, there were 46
newspapers including 21 in Chinese, 13 in English,
seven bilingual
and five in other
languages; and 640
periodicals, of which
429 were in Chinese,
94 in English,105
bilingual and 12 in
other languages.
Magazines cover a
wide range of subjects from public affairs to technical
matters and entertainment.
About 90 international media organisations had offices
in Hong Kong, which is also the base for regional
publications such as the Far Eastern Economic Review.
The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal Asia, USA
Today International, International Herald Tribune and the
Nihon Keizai Shimbun are also printed in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is a regional broadcasting hub, and
19 satellite broadcasters uplink signals from the SAR.
Satellite and cable operators offer a combined service
of more than 350 channels, including BBC World, CNN
International, HBO, Discovery Channel, TCM and National
Geographic Channel.
There are two free-of-charge domestic television
programme service licensees, each providing one
Cantonese and one English-language analogue channel.
On average they broadcast more than 668 hours of
programmes weekly, reaching 6.3 million viewers or
2.26 million television households. The two licensees
launched digital terrestrial television on December 31,
2007, providing a total of 1 174 broadcast hours per
week on the seven new digital television channels.
Hong Kong has 13 radio channels, including seven
operated by a publicly funded, editorially independent
broadcaster, whose mission is to inform, educate and
entertain the public through the provision of balanced
and objective programmes.
Hong Kong is a global
communications hub
and has an excellent
infrastructure. It was
the first major city
in the world to have
a fully digitalised
telephone network and to implement operator number
portability.
As at December 2009, Hong Kong had a fixed-line
household penetration rate of 101.8 per cent. The
number of subscribers to cellular phones was 12 million,
a penetration rate of about 173.7 per cent — one of the
highest in the world. Among them, over 3.8 million were
3G service customers. Most 3G service customers can
experience HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) - enabled
multimedia services with a transmission speed of up to
7.2 Mbps.
Virtually all households and
commercial buildings are covered
by the broadband network.
As at December 2009, there
were more than 2 million
registered customer accounts
for broadband Internet access
services, with speeds ranging
from a few Mbps to
1 000 Mbps. The broadband
household penetration rate was
81.4 per cent, one of the highest in the world.
As at December 2009, over 1.17 million households
subscribed to Internet Protocol TV services. Public
Wi-Fi services were provided by both the Government
and private sector, with nearly 8 800 Wi-Fi hotspots
operational across the city.
COMING TO HONG KONG
Despite the global
economic downturn and
human swine influenza,
visitor arrivals registered
a slight increase in
2009, reaching
29.59 million, up 0.3
per cent compared with
2008. Total spending by inbound tourists was estimated
at $162.6 billion. The Mainland remained the largest
source of visitors, with 17.96 million Mainlanders visiting
Hong Kong in 2009, an increase of 6.5 per cent on 2008.
Hong Kong is a unique meeting place of East and West,
blending Chinese heritage, British colonial influences,
high-tech modernity and Cantonese gusto. It offers a
diversity of travel experiences, from shopping to dining,
countryside pursuits, arts, cultural and sports events,
as well as a unique built heritage including temples,
monasteries, walled villages, clan halls and colonial
structures.
The Government attaches great
importance to enhancing
Hong Kong's attractiveness as a
travel destination and has
invested heavily in the city's
tourism infrastructure over the
past few years. Noah's Ark,
Hong Kong National Geopark
and '1881 Heritage' are new additions to the portfolio of
attractions. Hong Kong's two theme parks, namely
Ocean Park and Disneyland, are undergoing expansion
in order to strengthen their appeal for family and young
visitors. Together with the 'A Symphony of Lights', which
is recognised as the world's 'Largest Permanent Light and
Sound Show' by Guinness World Records, Hong Kong
strives to promote itself as a premier destination in the
The Government is pressing ahead with the construction
of a world-class cruise terminal at Kai Tak, further
enhancing Hong Kong's position as a leading regional
cruise hub. The first berth is expected to come into
operation in mid-2013.
The existing theme park of Hong Kong Disneyland, which
opened in 2005, will be enlarged by about 23 per cent
with more than 30 new attractions added, bringing the
total number of attractions to over 100. Construction
began in 2009 and the new attractions are expected to
be completed (in phases) by mid-2014.
Ocean Park is continuing with redevelopment that will
turn the park into a world-class marine-themed park
featuring more than 70 attractions upon completion in
In 2008 Hong Kong became a 'Michelin' city.
The 'MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau' is the first in
China and first Chinese/English bilingual version ever.
Hong Kong has long been famous for its great chefs from
various provinces in China, as well as its wide variety of
international cuisine. The first Hong Kong Wine and
Dine Festival in October 2009 not only successfully
attracted more visitors to Hong Kong through
showcasing the city as a premier destination for gourmets
and food connoisseurs, but also helped develop
Hong Kong as a wine trading and distribution hub in
the region.
Despite reunification, the HKSAR has maintained
autonomy over its immigration control and offers very
liberal visa terms for visitors. Nationals of more than
170 countries and territories may come to Hong Kong
visa-free for visits lasting from seven to 180 days.
Professionals and business people are welcome to work
and invest in Hong Kong. Persons applying for permission
to reside, work or study in the HKSAR are required to
obtain visas or entry permits before arrival.
Cross-boundary Traffic
Cross-boundary vehicular traffic decreased year-onyear
by 4 per cent in 2009. The Lo Wu land crossing,
handled an average of 239 000 passengers daily. The
Lok Ma Chau Spur Line — the second rail crossing into
the Mainland handled an average of about 65 900
In 2009, the four road crossing points between Hong
Kong and the Mainland, namely Lok Ma Chau, Sha Tau
Kok, Man Kam To and the Shenzhen Bay Port, handled
an average of 40 400 vehicles per day. The total daily
traveller flow across the four crossings averaged 152 000.
Cross-boundary ferry services to 13 Mainland ports
and Macao run from the China Ferry Terminal in Kowloon
and the Hong Kong-Macao Ferry Terminal on
Hong Kong Island. In 2009, the passenger throughput
for the Mainland and Macao was about 4.4 million and
17.5 million respectively. These passengers commuted
on the world's largest fleet of high-speed craft, which
include jetfoils and catamarans.
Inward and Outward Traffic
Hong Kong is one of the world's busiest ports in terms
of vessel arrivals and departures. In 2009, some 411 270
vessels arrived and departed from Hong Kong, carrying
about 24 million passengers.
Hong Kong International Airport is also one of the busiest
in the world. In 2009, 44.97 million passengers passed
through the airport. Aircraft movements totalled
Hong Kong's universal appeal is evident in a variety of
leisure and cultural options, a reflection of the city's
cosmopolitan population and its diverse range of
pastimes. The Government nurtures an environment
in which freedom of creativity, pluralistic development
of the arts, sporting excellence and recreation in the
community can thrive.
Cultural and Leisure Events
Hong Kong hosts a
variety of cultural
and leisure events,
including the premier
arts event, the
annual Hong Kong
Arts Festival, the
Festival, Le French
May Arts Festival,
the Chinese Opera Festival, the International Arts
Carnival, the New Vision/World's Cultures Arts Festival
and the Hong Kong Flower Show, as well as traditional
festive celebration programmes.
held in Hong Kong
include the annual
Hong Kong Sevens (rugby),
Hong Kong Marathon,
Hong Kong Cricket
Sixes, Hong Kong Open
Championship (golf),
Hong Kong Tennis
Classic, Hong Kong Squash Open, the Hong Kong
Open Badminton Super Series, Hong Kong ITU Triathlon
Premium Asian Cup, FIVB World Grand Prix - Hong Kong
(volleyball), and Hong Kong International Dragon Boat
Regatta.
Hong Kong's mix of traditions – Chinese and Western,
historical and modern – can best be seen in its museums
and galleries. Museums such as The Hong Kong Museum
of Art showcase collections of magnificent Chinese
antiquities and contemporary works of art. Alternatively,
there are stimulating interactive exhibits at Hong Kong
Science Museum and wide-screen Omnimax films at
Hong Kong Space Museum. Hong Kong Museum of
Hong Kong Heritage
Museum present
the historical and
cultural aspects of
Hong Kong. For
those with a taste for
beverages, exhibits at
the Flagstaff House
Museum of Tea Ware recount the history and importance
of tea in Chinese culture.
Country Parks
About 40 per cent of Hong Kong's total land area is
committed to conservation and recreation, protected
within 24 country parks and 17 special areas, providing
an invaluable 'green belt' popular with hikers, nature
lovers and tourists. There are also four marine parks
and one marine reserve, occupying a total area of about
2 500 hectares. They comprise scenic coastal areas,
seascapes and important biological habitats.
International Wetland Park
The Mai Po Marshes and Inner Deep Bay area is listed
as a "Wetland of International Importance" under the
Ramsar Convention, and form one of the important overwintering
sites for migratory birds in Asia. Covering some
1 500 hectares, the Ramsar Site comprises mudflats,
mangroves, gei wai (tidal shrimp ponds) and fish ponds.
It provides diversified habitats for both migratory and
resident birds. About 380 species of birds have been
recorded in this area. During winter, the wetland is home
to 60 000-80 000 waterbirds.
The Hong Kong Wetland Park is opened in May 2006.
It is a special area which aims to promote wetland
conservation, education and tourism. It comprises a
10 000-square metre visitor centre with exhibition
galleries showcasing the functions and values of wetlands.
Geopark
The Hong Kong National
Geopark includes two regions
covering eight geo-areas in
the eastern part of Hong Kong,
each with unique geological
features. One is the Sai Kung
Volcanic Rock Region which
displays hexagonal volcanic rock columns, which
are considered world class both in terms of size and
coverage. The other is the Northeast New Territories
Sedimentary Rock Region which represents the most
comprehensive stratigraphy of sedimentary rocks in
There are five major
festivals in the Chinese
calendar, with Lunar
New Year the most
important. Gifts and
visits are exchanged
among friends and
relatives, and children
receive 'lucky money'
in red paper packets. During the Ching Ming Festival in
spring, ancestral graves are visited. Early summer (the
fifth day of the fifth lunar month) sees the Dragon Boat
Festival, marked by dragon boat races across the territory
and the eating of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo
leaves. The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of
the eighth lunar month. Gifts of mooncakes, wine and
fruit are exchanged, and adults and children visit parks,
beaches and the countryside at night, carrying colourful
lanterns. Chung Yeung Festival occurs on the ninth day
of the ninth lunar month, when many people visit their
ancestors' graves or hike up mountains to commemorate
a legendary Chinese family's escape from plague and
death by fleeing to a mountain top.
THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG
At the start of the 21st century, the HKSAR Government
undertook a review of Hong Kong's long-term
development strategies. Apart from dealing with
changes, the review sought to capitalise on opportunities
arising from reunification with the Mainland, and also
to respond to the many challenges brought about by
globalisation and the emergence of a knowledge-based
economy. The review followed a two-year study by the
Commission on Strategic Development that envisions the
adoption of a strategic framework to make Hong Kong
not just a major city in China, but also Asia's world city.
Hong Kong has set itself on course to become the centre
for innovation and technology in East Asia — a cyber city
in the cyber century. Much is being done to realise this
goal and to capitalise on the enormous opportunities
thrown up by the information revolution.
Cyberport – Hong Kong's
unique Creative Digital
Community – is managed
by Hong Kong Cyberport
Limited and wholly owned
by the HKSAR Government.
Home to a strategic
cluster of information
technologies (ICT), in December 2009 there were over
80 companies in residence, including 57 office tenants
and 27 onsite incubatees, occupying nearly 90 per cent
of the existing office space. This clustering of local and
overseas companies and creative talent acts as both a
catalyst and hub for the development of ICT applications,
information services, digital games, animation and other
multimedia industries. Cyberport delivers its public
mission by helping to commercialise creative ideas,
incubating creative start-ups and promoting a creative
digital lifestyle in the wider community.
Also using the clustering concept, Hong Kong Science
Park has boosted the city's technology platform by
focusing on electronics, IT and telecommunications,
biotechnology, precision engineering, and green
technology (including renewable energy and
environmental technology). Phase I, which opened in
2002, offers 81 000 square metres of lettable floor space
and boasts 92 per cent occupancy. Phase II, which was
opened in 2007, will provide an additional 70 000 square
metres of lettable space when fully completed in 2011.
The occupancy rate for the completed buildings in
Phase II is 78 per cent. In total, over 300 local, Mainland
and overseas companies are now residents in the park.
These companies have provided more than 6 600 jobs,
of which about 65 per cent are research and
development (R&D) related.
An efficient and reliable infrastructure has played a key
role in maintaining Hong Kong's position as a leading
trade, finance, business and tourism centre in the
region. Infrastructure development enables Hong Kong
to meet demands arising from population growth and
helps support our economic and trade development.
The Government is committed to pushing ahead with
ten major infrastructure projects unveiled by the Chief
Executive in the 2007 Policy Address as follows:
- South Island Line
- Sha Tin to Central Link
- Tuen Mun Western Bypass and Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok
- Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link
- Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge
- Hong Kong-Shenzhen Airport Co-operation
- Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Development of the
Lok Ma Chau Loop
- West Kowloon Cultural District
- Kai Tak Development
- New Development Areas
By improving transportation and other infrastructural
systems, the implementation of the above projects will
not only facilitate Hong Kong's further development,
but will also foster more socio-cultural and business
activities. In addition, with closer and more efficient
rail and transport links between Hong Kong and the
neighbouring regions of Shenzhen and the Pearl
River Delta, further cross boundary integration can be
Construction works for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao
Main Bridge, and site formation works for the new cruise
terminal already, began in late 2009. The works for
the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-
Hong Kong Express Rail Link project started in
In 2009-10, capital works expenditure reached
$45.1 billion. The estimated capital works expenditure
for 2010-11 will increase to $49.6 billion. With many
projects entering their construction peaks, capital works
expenditure for each of the next few years will be at an
all-time high of over $50 billion.
Railway Development
Railways play a vital role in serving the transport needs of
Hong Kong. They provide fast, reliable and comfortable
services, reduce pressure on the road network and
are relatively more environmentally friendly. Following
the commissioning of the East Rail Line Tsim Sha Tsui
Extension, the Ma On Shan Line and the Disneyland
Resort Line, the extension of East Rail Line to
Lok Ma Chau was opened in August 2007. It is a new
boundary-crossing railway that extends the East Rail Line
from Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau and connects with
Huanggang in Shenzhen. The Kowloon Southern Link,
which extends the West Rail Line to Hung Hom Station,
and the LOHAS Park Station were both commissioned
in 2009. The West Island Line, which extends the
existing Island Line from Sheung Wan to Kennedy Town,
commenced construction in 2009. The Hong Kong section
of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link
started construction in January 2010.
Several other rail lines are under active planning:
the South Island Line, the Kwun Tong Line Extension,
the Sha Tin to Central Link and the Northern Link.
Upon completion of these rail links, Hong Kong's rail
network will expand to over 270 kilometres and the
railways' share of the public transport system will be
increased from 35 per cent to about 40 per cent.
Route 8 was completed
in 2009, with the
opening of Stonecutters
Bridge, providing
a convenient route
linking the Northeast
New Territories, West
Kowloon, Container
Terminals 8 & 9, Tsing Yi
and North Lantau.
Stonecutters Bridge is a key element of Route 8. The total
length of the Bridge is 1 596 metres. Its main span over
the Rambler Channel is 1 018 metres, the second longest
span in the world for cable-stayed bridges.
Strategic new roads such as Route 8 reduce urban
congestion and provide vital new links to the New
Territories and beyond. Other major road projects yet
to be completed are the Central–Wan Chai Bypass and
Island Eastern Corridor Link, and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-
Macao Bridge.
To relieve existing traffic congestion along the east-west
corridor of the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, and
to cater for the anticipated traffic growth, the Central–
Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor Link are
being constructed to link up Rumsey Street Flyover and
the Island Eastern Corridor at North Point. Construction
work involves a 4.5 km dual three-lane trunk road and
a 3.7 km tunnel. Works commenced in late 2009 is
scheduled for completion in 2017.
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) is a large
sea bridge linking the HKSAR with Zhuhai (in Guangdong
Province) and Macao SAR. The project involves
construction of a 29.6 km dual 3-lane Main Bridge in
Mainland waters, a 12 km Hong Kong Link Road,
a 13.9 km Zhuhai Link Road, a 300-metre Macao Link
Road and associated boundary crossing facilities within
the respective administrative regions. Construction of
the Main Bridge will be implemented in phases, with the
commencement of the first phase on December 15, 2009.
The HZMB Hong Kong Link Road connects the HZMB
Main Bridge with the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing
Facilities (HKBCF). The 12 km Link Road will be a dual
3-lane highway comprising a sea viaduct running from
the HKSAR marine boundary to Scenic Hill at Airport
Island, a tunnel through Scenic Hill and a road along the
eastern coast of Airport Island. The HKBCF will be built on
a 130-hectare (approx.) artificial island located in waters
northeast of Airport Island. HKBCF will accommodate the
necessary customs, immigration and quarantine facilities
for cargo and passenger clearance, and provide an
efficient transport linkage between HZMB, the adjacent
Hong Kong International Airport and the Tuen Mun-Chek
Lap Kok Link. Construction works for the HKBCF and the
Link Road is scheduled to commence in 2010 and 2011
respectively, with both set for completion by 2015/16.
HONG KONG: THE FACTS
Hong Kong : The Facts
Population: 7 million (2009)
Overall density
6 480 people per square kilometre
Area: 1 104 square kilometres
Outlying Islands
81 square km
748 square km
Annual rainfall (2009)
2182.3mm
Highest temperature
36.1°C (August 19, 1900 and August 18, 1990)
Lowest temperature
0.0°C (January 18, 1893)
Highest wind speed
259 km/h at Hong Kong Observatory, 284 km/h at Tate's
(Typhoon Wanda, September 1, 1962)
About 2.1 million people living in 745 400 public rental
housing flats
2 050 kilometres of roads carried 584 070 licensed
Tsing Ma Bridge (main span 1 377 metres) —
the world's longest road-rail suspension bridge
Kap Shui Mun Bridge (main span 430 metres) —
road-rail cable-stayed bridge
Ting Kau Bridge (two main spans totalling 923 metres) —
cable-stayed road bridge
Stonecutters Bridge (main span 1018 metres) —
the second longest span in the world for cable-stayed
Air movements
279 429 flights; 44.97 million passengers; 3.35 million
tonnes of freight shipping movements
Arrival: 33 160 ocean-going vessels; 172 350 river-trade
vessels; port cargo throughput 243 million tonnes
Container throughput
21.04 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units)
HONG KONG: THE FACT
Total number employed: 3.50 million
Major employment sectors
Import/export, wholesale and 33%
retail trades, and accommodation
and food services
Public administration, and social and 25%
Financing and insurance, 18%
real estate, and professional and
Transportation, storage, postal and 12%
courier services, and information
and communications
Construction 8%
Manufacturing 4%
Average wages
(All selected industries)
The Office of the Government of the
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in
No.71 Di'anmen Xidajie
Phone: (86) 10 6657 2880
Fax: (86) 10 6657 2821
E-mail: bjohksar@bjo-hksarg.org.cn
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices
Mainland of China
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai
21/F, The Headquarters Building
168 Xizang Road (M)
Huangpu District
E-mail: enquiry@sheto.gov.hk
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Chengdu
38/F, Tower 1 Plaza Central
8 Shuncheng Street, Yan Shi Kou
E-mail: general@cdeto.gov.hk
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in
Flat 7101, 71/F, Citic Plaza
233 Tian He North Road
E-mail: general@gdeto.gov.hk
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
#34-01, Suntec Tower 2
9 Temasek Boulevard
E-mail: hketo_sin@hketosin.gov.hk
Level 1, Hong Kong House
80 Druitt Street
Phone: (61) 2 9283 3222
E-mail: enquiry@hketosydney.gov.hk
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Building
30-1 Sanban-Cho
Chiyoda-ku
E-mail: tokyo_enquiry@hketotyo.gov.hk
Jägerstrasse 33
10117, Berlin
Phone: (49) 30 22 66 77 22 8
Fax: (49) 30 22 66 77 28 8
E-mail: cee@hketoberlin.gov.hk
Rue d'Arlon 118
Phone: (32) 2 775 0088
Fax: (32) 2 770 0980
E-mail: general@hongkong-eu.org
5 Allée David-Morse
Fax: (41) 22 730 1304
E-mail: hketo@hketogeneva.gov.hk
6 Grafton Street
London W1S 4EQ
E-mail: general@hketolondon.gov.hk
Phone: (1) 212 752 3320
Fax: (1) 212 752 3395
E-mail: hketony@hketony.gov.hk
E-mail: hketosf@hketosf.gov.hk
E-mail: hketo@hketowashington.gov.hk
174 St George Street
M5R 2M7, Canada
E-mail: info@hketotoronto.gov.hk
Copyright in this publication belongs to the HKSAR Government.
Information in the publication may be used freely, and may be
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Page 5: Brand Hong Hong's visual identity
Page 8 and 9: ABOUT HONG KONG About Hong Kong Hon
Page 10 and 11: ABOUT HONG KONG International Corpo
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Page 14 and 15: ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS Gross Dome
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Page 20 and 21: LIVING IN HONG KONG Living in Hong
Page 22 and 23: LIVING IN HONG KONG The Court of Fi
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Page 42 and 43: THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG The Future
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
A Cuban food tradition where none exists
Eating on the Edge: At Paladar Cubano, the emphasis is on an authentic flavor that few in Seattle will recognize.
Hugo Kugiya
Pedro Vargas, at his authentic food truck Paladar Cubano on Aurora.
All the cops on the popular television show Dexter take their coffee and buy their lunch from a food truck parked outside police headquarters. The mobile canteen serves Cuban food, a detail that lines up with the show'ꀙs setting in Miami.
The detail is unimportant to the premise of the show, about a crusading serial killer named Dexter Morgan, who also works for the Miami police department as a forensic specialist. The lunch truck is little more than a prop for the show, but verifies something that is basic to eating in Miami and much of Florida. Cuban food is everywhere. It is everyday food, satisfying and unspectacular, eaten and loved by everyone, Cubans and non-Cubans alike.
It is not enough to say Cuban food is popular in Miami. Thai food is popular in Seattle. Mexican food is popular in Denver. That is not saying the same thing. Cuban food is an integral part of Miamians'ꀙ sense of home because so many Cubans call it home. There, the Cuban food is not adulterated or customized with the hope of winning a new audience. There, Cuban restaurants don'ꀙt need a new audience. The old audience is ample in number.
Cubans in Seattle are a scattered and small minority, and Cuban food in Seattle is, for the most part, uncharted. A few restaurants in the city serve food that alludes to Cuban food. La Isla, in Ballard, serves an up-market style of Puerto Rican food, which, like Dominican food, is similar to Cuban food, owing to its use of roasted meat, stews, plantains, rice and black beans; La Casa del Mojito, on Lake City Way and in the University District, calls its menu 'ꀜLatin American,'ꀝ offering dishes it labels Venezuelan and Caribbean; Paseo, in Fremont and Ballard, calls itself a Caribbean restaurant and sells a phenomenally popular 'ꀜCuban'ꀝ roast pork sandwich that is unlike any you will find in Miami.
The food at all those places is delicious by almost any standard. But for Cubans, it does not taste quite like home.
'ꀜThe flavor is different,'ꀝ says Pedro Vargas, from the coastal town of Bahia Honda, Cuba, about 50 miles west of Havana. 'ꀜIt'ꀙs delicious, but it'ꀙs not real Cuban food. There is only one place in Seattle to get real Cuban food.'ꀝ
He is speaking rhetorically about his enterprise, called Paladar Cubano, located on the corner of 90th and Aurora in North Seattle, next to an auto shop, a Taco Bell and a Days Inn. Vargas, 40, a drummer of some repute in town, serves the simple country cooking of his hometown from a kitchen truck parked in the back of a gravel and dirt lot. The dining room is a tarp-covered deck. The word paladar refers generically to any number of small, family-operated restaurants in Cuba.
Vargas, who plays most nights in various salsa bands, including his own, Ashe, leases both the truck and the empty lot from a man he used to work with at a nearby used-car dealership where he worked as a lot attendant, washing cars.
His Chevrolet truck is equipped with a griddle, an electric rice cooker, a food processor, and two gas burners. A blackened saucepan acts as his deep fryer. It'ꀙs a true roadside operation with a small, simple menu.
Vargas makes two kinds of sandwiches, the classic Cuban (pork, ham, cheese, and pickles on a Cuban roll), and the media noche, or midnight sandwich (a hot, pressed, pork sandwich). He serves two kinds of meat, either roast pork or stewed beef, called ropa vieja, shredded flank steak cooked in a tomato sauce. Both are served with moros, a mixture of white rice and black beans. The only other meaningful menu options are tostones (fried, smashed green plantains) and fried yucca or cassava, a root vegetable common in the tropics.
Vargas roasts the pork at home the night before he serves it. He puts it in the oven, often before going out to play in a club. He instructs his wife to turn off the oven four hours later. He wakes up at 6 a.m. to prepare the rice and beans and to boil the beef for the ropa vieja. He works the truck with one employee, a young Peruvian-American woman named Margory Benavente, whom he used to work with at the car dealership. She assembles and prepares the food while Vargas works the counter.
'ꀜHe taught me a lot,'ꀝ Benavente says. 'ꀜAt the beginning, I sucked real bad.'ꀝ
As a young man, Vargas was a frequent visitor to the U.S., touring with musicians like Barbarito Torres, who is famous in Cuba. Vargas met his American wife five years ago at Jazz Alley, where he was performing with Torres. Their marriage landed him in Seattle, where he built up work playing dance music. He saved up for years to start Paladar Cubano, which opened seven months ago.
For those familiar with Cuban cooking, a creolized form of Spanish cooking, there are a few staples missing from Vargas'ꀙ menu. Paladar does not serve any fish or picadillo, a stew of ground beef, nor does it serve maduros, fried sweet plantains. Plantains for maduros have to ripen until they are nearly black. 'ꀜNext summer,'ꀝ Vargas pledges, hoping to expand his menu by then.
Eventually, he wants to open a traditional, full-service Cuban restaurant. It remains unclear whether there are enough Cubans in Seattle or enough non-Cubans familiar with the cuisine to support a thriving Cuban restaurant. Even some of his basic supplies are not easy to come by. He buys green plantains at the HT market on Aurora — the place doesn'ꀙt sell ripened plantains — where the old Larry'ꀙs market once operated. HT sells mostly Asian groceries, but stocks some Russian and Latin food. Unable to find authentic Cuban bread, he arranged to have a Peruvian bakery in Shoreline make the bread for him from a recipe he provided.
Many of his customers arrive expecting Mexican food. Most are new to Cuban food. A few are Peruvian, whose food is also Spanish in origin but not highly similar. The handful of Cubans Vargas knows live in the outskirts of Seattle, near Renton or in Shoreline, where Vargas lives. Some are handymen or bartenders.
'ꀜThe first thing I do is teach people what is Cuban flavor,'ꀝ Vargas says. 'ꀜCuban food is very simple. Oregano, garlic, onion, a little bit of cumin. That'ꀙs it. People think Cuban food is spicy, but it'ꀙs not spicy.'ꀝ
To generalize, Americans like spicy food. It plays especially well in Seattle. The city'ꀙs taste for spicy food is probably the reason Thai food is so ubiquitous here and preferred over Chinese, which many dismiss as bland, heavy and greasy (another debate entirely). Thai food is hot and sweet and tangy and therefore destined for success.
The flavors at places like Paseo and La Isla that proffer Latin or Caribbean-style food tend to be bright, sharp and peppery. The flavors at Paladar tend to be deep and savory, a tougher sell. Cuban food is probably easier to be in love with than fall in love with. In other words, you probably had to grow up with it to love it.
'ꀜThe flavor of my food comes from the country, not the city,'ꀝ Vargas says. 'ꀜWhen I moved here, I wanted to share my music, and now I want to share the flavor of my food.'ꀝ
He cooks it the way it was originally intended, for consumption by people who care the most about that very quality. And that, perhaps, is the difference between good food and food we call authentic or traditional. While one kind is not necessarily better than the other, the latter is more challenging to find in a new-world city like Seattle where traditions go to die.
Seattle is a forward-looking place whose greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. Technology, commerce, art, music, food, it all gets reinvented here. The upside of this innovation is obvious: great software, interesting music, refined cuisine. But some things, like traditional cooking, fall through the newly formed cracks. When Olsen'ꀙs Scandinavian Foods closed last summer, relatively few noticed.
Traditional cooking thrives in places like Miami, New York, and Los Angeles, because it is borrowed from newcomers who are great in number. When the newcomers are few, concessions have to be made.
Vargas does offer two things on his menu that are not Cuban: quesadillas and tacos. Serving them, he says, makes him a little sad. But this is Seattle, after all, and business is business.
Immigration,
Seattle & King County
A former national correspondent for The Associated Press and Newsday, freelance writer Hugo Kugiya has written about the Northwest for the Puget Sound Business Journal, The Seattle Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times. His book, 58 Degrees North, about the sinking of the Arctic Rose fishing vessel, was a finalist for the 2006 Washington State Book Award. You can reach him at hugo.kugiya@gmail.com.
Track bills as they move through the Washington Legislature
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Truck drivers work hard, sometimes driving while fatigued. Some drivers are not familiar with the local roadways. Others are simply inexperienced. Every year, thousands of people die or sustain serious injuries in accidents involving commercial trucks. Tragically, many of these accidents are the result of negligent truck drivers and their employers. These accidents result from poor driving that includes the failure to yield the right of way and other violations of vehicle and traffic laws. Some accidents also involve the failure to correctly maintain or equip the truck, as well as the failure to train or hire drivers properly.
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text:
Tata Ace — индийский малотоннажный развозной автомобиль-фургон производства Tata Motors.

История семейства
Первые прототипы Tata Ace появились в декабре 2000 года, когда Рави Кант поручил Гиришу Вангу начать производство новой линейки малотоннажных фургонов для замены моторикш на индийском рынке. Wagh обратился к водителям моторикш насчёт производства новых малотоннажных комфортабельных удобных грузовиков. Учитывая каждый отзыв, компания Tata Motors задумалась насчёт того, чтобы произвести экономичное транспортное средство, перевозящее грузы на малые расстояния. Водители предпочитали иметь четырёхколёсный малотоннажный грузовик вместо типичных трёхколёсных мотогрузовиков.

Наконец, в мае 2005 года началось серийное производство Tata Ace по цене от 2,25 до 3,35 лакхов. Кузов модели взят от производителя Autoline Industries. В августе 2008 года был произведён 200 000-й Ace.

Автомобиль экспортируется в некоторые европейские, американские и африканские страны. На его основе также производят электромобиль Global Electric Motorcars производства Chrysler.

Особенности
Малотоннажный грузовик Tata Ace способен перевозить грузы не более 1 тонны. За всю историю производства на автомобиль ставят двигатель Tata 475 TCIC (BSIII) мощностью 70 л. с. Тормоза автомобиля барабанные. Объём бака составляет 38 литров.

Модификации
 Tata Ace — первый серийный вариант.
 Tata Super Ace — однотонный грузовик с двигателем Tata 475 TCIC (BSIII).
 The Super Ace Bigboy — прототип микроавтобуса.
 Tata Ace Zip — микроавтобус.
 Ace Magic+ — версия со спальной кабиной.
 Tata Magic Iris — микроавтобус.

Галерея

Примечания

Ссылки

 Официальный сайт модели

Грузовые автомобили
Ace

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Badu's Birthday Bash Brought Big Names To Bomb Factory.
Did A City Councilman Hit A Scooter Rider, Flee Scene?
JMBLYA 2019 To Be Headlined By Travis Scott, Lil Wayne.
Scenes From Our Central Track Music Honors Photo Booth.
Announcing The 2019 Central Track Music Honors Winners!
Music Honors: Paying Respect To The Honor Roll.


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This member is currently banned.
Oh I'm sorry, I didn't see the introductions forum.
Welcome to the forums! Are you a Chex Quest fan?
No trouble about posting this in the wrong section. I'll move it into Introductions now.
Welcome to the Chex Quest Fan Forums, StikShow! I'm Manny Cav, one of your fellow Chex Quest fans! If you have not already done so, read the board rules here.
I'm curious about something, though. I looked here, and you mentioned something about mob720, one of our members here, and someone else. Do you know mob720 in some way?
Manny Cav: Yeah I'm one of his friends at school.
BTW If I wasn't pushing it, could some of you guys spread the word about these stik shows? I don't have very many viewers. On YouTube, I've only got 6,000 total. Compared to a lot of people, that is really small.
*sigh* When I had videos, I was lucky to get fifty.
Anyway, welcome to the Forums! Enjoy your stay, and check out some of the mods in Fan Projects!
Howdy, howdy, howdy! Welcome to our little corner of the Internet!
Actually, Mob720 has already shown me most of them he used to download. I think most of them are awesome.
Good to see you! Nice to see more people are coming.
and all the other mods that I didn't mention!
CoMe HeRe WhEn YoUr BoReD to the 3rd power!


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Facebook Standalone Events App has finally made available for Android. It was launched on the iOS about couple of months ago. It is one on the many Standalone App that Facebook offers. Right Now, Facebook provides standalone apps for Advertisement, Pages, Groups and many others.
Events from Facebook allows you to get every inch of details for any events, timings, who else is going, is there any friend who is also joining, etc. It also lets you browse the events by location, time, and interest. YOu can also see events of the place you are visiting in some upcoming days.
Overall, if we say it is a perfect home for the events all other related features.
The App weighs 92 MB and it is available from the Play Store. Click the Play Store link below to download.


text:
Tracking Islamic State
Russian Official: 'Chechen' IS Warlords Are U.S.-Trained Georgians
January 16, 2015 15:06 GMT
IS military leader Umar al-Shishani (Tarkhan Batirashvili) was possibly trained by officers who may have been trained by Americans while he was a conscript in the Georgian Army, reports say.
Ilya Rogachev, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for New Challenges and Threats, has said that Chechen militants fighting with the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria are not Russian citizens but Kists from Georgia's Pankisi Gorge.
In an interview with the Ekho Moskvy radio station on January 16, parts of which were transcribed by other Russian media outlets, Rogachev blamed Georgia for the phenomenon of Chechen militants in Syria.
The Russian Foreign Ministry official said that Georgian Kists -- ethnic Chechens from the Pankisi Gorge -- were "among the most prominent warlords who have already proved themselves in IS."
Rogachev did not name these warlords but said they were "trained in Georgia, probably by Georgian specialists, who in turn were taught by the Americans."
These comments -- perhaps surprisingly -- echo reports in Western news outlets, which have placed Georgia's Pankisi Gorge under an intense media spotlight, mostly because of the sudden rise to notice of IS's military emir in Syria, Umar al-Shishani, who is from the Pankisi Gorge. While Umar al-Shishani was a conscript in the Georgian Army, some news reports have emphasized that he was possibly trained by officers who may have been trained by Americans.
The Foreign Ministry official echoed Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov when he said that there were "not as many North Caucasians with Russian passports in IS as it is acceptable to imagine."
Rogachev said that there were "Chechens from other countries, including those who received asylum abroad" fighting with IS in Syria and Iraq.
In November, Chechnya's Kadyrov lashed out at the West over what he said was a deliberate attempt to portray Chechens as terrorists in Syria. Kadyrov said that the "overwhelming majority" of Chechens in Syria were "residents of Western countries who were born there or who left 20 years ago."
According to Interfax Religion, Rogachev claimed that there were 800 Russian nationals fighting alongside the IS group.
However, Rogachev said that this figure was based on "unofficial, expert assessments" and did not offer any information about what the Russian security services believe the numbers of Russian citizens fighting in Syria and Iraq to be.
Blowback Threat
Rogachev also warned that Islamic State (IS) militants were "spreading out throughout the world and pose a serious threat." The Foreign Ministry official said that the rapid influx of militants to Syria and Iraq had not been curbed.
In an odd twist, Rogachev hinted that the U.S.-led air strikes against IS had had an effect. While he did not mention the air strikes conducted by the U.S.-led coalition against IS in Syria and Iraq -- which, after all, Moscow opposes -- Rogachev did say that IS was taking losses in Syria and Iraq.
"Now we can say there is some sort of balance. The rapid expansion of IS has stopped: IS militants are incurring significant losses and many of them have returned to their home countries, having lost faith in an ultimate victory," Rogachev said.
Rogachev also warned that IS militants who returned to their home countries from Syria and Iraq "represent a very serious threat."
"Experience has shown that individuals who have spent some time in conflict zones rarely return to a normal life. Going forward, they continue to engage in illegal activities, not necessarily terrorist [activities]. This could be ideological indoctrination," Rogachev said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry official also repeated Moscow's claim that the rise of IS in Syria was a result of "foreign military aid to Syrian rebels in the fight against the legitimate government of Bashar al-Assad."
Russia and Iran, Assad's two most powerful allies, have both asserted that the IS group was created as a result of assistance provided by the United States and its Western allies to moderate Syrian rebels.
-- Joanna Paraszczuk
Under The Black Flag
"Under The Black Flag" provides news, opinion, and analysis about the impact of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in Syria, Iraq, and beyond. It focuses not only on the fight against terrorist groups in the Middle East, but also on the implications for the region and the world.
Most-Viewed Articles
How A Hunch, A Farmer, And A Scorched Field Led Me To The MH17 Missile-Launch Site
Trump Balks At Cancellation Of F-35 Jet Sales To Turkey, Blames Obama
Austrian Justice Minister OKs Firtash's Extradition To U.S., But Process Put On Hold
Ukraine's Constitutional Court Upholds Law Equating Communism To Nazism
Russia, West Clash During UN Session On Ukraine's Language Law
Same-Sex Couples In Romania Face Hostility As They Challenge Discrimination
Daughter Blames 'System' Built By Putin, Kadyrov For Rights Activist Estemirova's Death
Putin Widens Citizenship Offer To All Residents Of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk Regions
Merkel Urges Moldova To Speed Up Reform Pace
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Scythian Gold, Crimean Treasures
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Moscow Protesters Support Opposition Candidates
Power Blackout Causes Traffic Chaos In Almaty
Serbian Donkey Cheese: A Big Kick In the Wallet
Belgrade Protest No. 32 Targets Interior Minister's Qualifications


The fear underlying social anxiety is usually related to a belief or thought about something bad happening.
They may think "I might say something stupid and people will stop liking me".
If your child feels they can't handle fearful social situations they may turn to coping strategies, which can cause longer term harm.
To talk through your options call a counsellor or speak with your GP.
If your child needs support to manage anxiety they can call Kids Helpline and talk with a counsellor 24/7.
If social anxiety is impacting your child's quality of life you can seek further help through your local GP.
If you need some guidance on how to help your child manage their anxiety in social situations, give us a call on 1300 30 1300 (QLD & NT) and speak to one of our trained counsellors.


This week articles about thoughtful space utilization analysis and design execution plus 5 ways to keep things fun, fluid, and focused caught our attention. And more!
Our 'happiness' articles this week focus on how companies seek solutions from soft touch human based efforts to hi-tech data collection and analysis.
This week we continue to explore happiness as it relates to the workplace. We bring you Ikigai, gratitude, workplace experience facilitators & more!
The Latest Workplace Theme is Happiness!
With summer behind us, this month we decided to take a look at work place design from the viewpoint of what it means to be happy at the office.
Our weekly roundup of workplace news includes 10 inventions that had long lasting impact on workplace life plus the hardest working lobby.
Our weekly roundup of industry news includes Instagram's impact on how we design spaces, that Google memo and other news from around the web.
When technological shifts left Verizon with unused space, they chose to repurpose the spaces and create coworking communities globally.
This week's roundup features new examples of the built environment's take on work/life blur, new AI in the workplace news and a cool Apple Park video.
ASID Headquarters Goes Double Platinum!
The 5+ year journey to build the new headquarters offices of ASID culminated in the formal presentation of the plaques recognizing fulfillment of certification requirements for LEED Platinum, and WELL Platinum.
Revisiting a 1974 Humanscale design manual, how to get employees excited about going into the office, and new layout strategies.
A&D students from Stanford share a new perspective on public space and work, plus the rise of the virtual workplace and more!


The 3 stars Aigle campsite is open from April 27th to September 15th 2019.
The camping is located at 2 minutes walk from the village of Aiguines, and it offers you to stay or eat in an enchanted setting.
At the edge of the Gorges of Verdon and perched over the Lake of Sainte Croix, you will discover a wonderful view.
From dawn to dusk, you will enjoy a splendid panorama that makes this place unforgettable.
We propose you also a Jacuzzi for the sweet days of summer.
Opposite the plateau of Valensole and the valley of Moustiers, the Aigle campsite offers a stay in the fresh air, on gorgeous landscapes, in a warm and homelike atmosphere.
On its site in restanco (dry stone walls), the camping conveyed to its pitches a bucolic atmosphere where tranquility extends till the early hours of the morning.
The 2 Stars Aigle Campsite offers you 3 kind of unsual and comfortable accommodations.
Need a little escape in a beautiful area ? The campsite offers you pitches with a great view onto the Lake of Sainte Croix.
Come and discover one of the wonders of Provence, on horseback between the Var and the Alpes de Hautes Provence, a place for escape or sport.


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For more precise accuracy, we measure the diameter of the bracelet in millimeters. Measure the width of your wrist with a ruler. Whatever your wrist size measures, select the bracelet that is the next size up to ensure you leave space for the charms for comfortability.
For example, if your wrist measures 5 cm then we would recommend the next size up, which is 55 mm.
This design is great for collectors & charm enthusiasts! The sterling silver tube design allows for flexibility, strength & durability. Easy to take on and off with a large clasp that snaps open and closed.


A refreshing toner that removes traces of cleanser, make-up and impurities. The 'shake to activate' mattifying powders in the formulation help to leave the skin looking matte.
Apply after cleansing and before moisturising. Shake to activate the mattifying powders and apply a generous amount to a cotton pad. Sweep across the face and neck.
• Tamanu oil - sourced from Madagascar, is renowned for its natural purifying antibacterial properties.
• White willow extract - contains a natural salicylic acid that helps to effectively clear and tone the skin.
Aqua, Alcohol Denat., Corn Starch Modified, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycerin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Allantoin, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Limonene, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, t-Butyl Alcohol, Citral, Leptospermum Petersonii Oil, Denatonium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Caramel, CI 19140, CI 42090.


SEO has been a great tool that would help the small or any kind of business to find their way. As today business are not sold on road but are on the internet, you can very well take a chance to move on with benefitting every single aspect with business and their development processes.
They are like an identity provider to the business. With the help of the strategy that is developed by them with respect to the changing market, gives the best of the solutions for the purpose of the business establishment. With the effective methodologies that interpret the enhancement of the product demand. The business designing when deal with several kind of services related to the web designing of the business brand. This is independent of any size of the businesses. It is relatively the process that affects the visibility of the website or the web page in various kinds of search engines.
Mostly their services are going to help the associated clients get identified with the problems that arises or that are associated to the business development. This has now over taken the traditional system of business development which has resulted with more improvement of the business globally. Rather than moving from door to door for the promotion and sale of the product. They have now changed the process with online availability of the details and description of the product. Rather this would also be displayed in the form of videos and pictures. Through this anyone can now shop as well as trade the product on line from the home. It has made this easy with the e- commerce website design that is in the form of web style logo, logo and content development. This has created magnetism for the visitors to visit the web page.
The SEO essentially focusing on the priority that will help you to increase lucrative business to bring good fortunes. It is always being tried to provide the customer with a quality service which have made the SEO services unique in it.
It is always necessary to always facilitate with the best of the SEO services that can give the gold quality service. There are heaps of seo services suppliers which guarantee modest SEO benefits however services offered by those organizations are not quality services or such organizations rehearse on dark cap SEO methods which brings about getting your destinations punished from real web search tools. The most ideal approach to check the unwavering quality and nature of a SEO services supplier firm is by checking online audits and testimonials of that association.


text:
Museo d'Arte Sacra della Marsica (Italian for Religious art Museum of Marsica)  is a  museum of religious art in Celano, Province of L'Aquila (Abruzzo).

History

Collection

Notes

External links

Celano
Museums in Abruzzo
Religious museums in Italy
National museums of Italy