Rekindling Hong Kong’s Magic

Author(s):  
Yue Chim Richard Wong

Hong Kong’s divisive and fragmented political landscape provides the ideal condition for the proliferation of regulatory control. When the pressure on our government to spend more on housing, health care, and education is even greater than that in Singapore, and the Basic Law disallows deficit financing, then raising the regulatory burden is the only political solution available. Unfortunately, this will have far more damaging consequences on the economy. What is to be done? Can Hong Kong steer a path that allows it to fund the rising demand for public expenditures while promoting economic growth, so that the additional spending is economically affordable and politically feasible? That question will be addressed in this volume.

Author(s):  
Francis L. F Lee ◽  
Joseph M Chan

Chapter 1 introduces the background of the Umbrella Movement, a protest movement that took hold in Hong Kong in 2014, and outlines the theoretical principles underlying the analysis of the role of media and communication in the occupation campaign. It explicates how the Umbrella Movement is similar to but also different from the ideal-typical networked social movement and crowd-enabled connective action. It explains why the Umbrella Movement should be seen as a case in which the logic of connective action intervenes into a planned collective action. It also introduces the notion of conditioned contingencies and the conceptualization of an integrated media system.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Simon N.M. Young

The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (NSL) was passed on June 30, 2020 by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC). It did not have immediate direct effect in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). After consulting the Committee for the Basic Law of the HKSAR (BLC) and the Government of the HKSAR (HKSARG), the NPCSC added the NSL to Annex III of The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (Basic Law) before the Chief Executive of the HKSAR (Chief Executive) promulgated the NSL for local application. All this happened on June 30, enabling the NSL to enter into force at 11 p.m., just ahead of the twenty-third anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR on July 1, 2020.


mSphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dulmini Nanayakkara Sapugahawatte ◽  
Carmen Li ◽  
Chendi Zhu ◽  
Priyanga Dharmaratne ◽  
Kam Tak Wong ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT This study identified and characterized extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) from farmed freshwater fish and pig offal procured from the wet markets across Hong Kong. During March 2018 to January 2019, 730 food animal samples, namely, 213 snakehead fish, 198 black carp, and 339 pig organs, were examined. ESBL-E and CPE were isolated from the homogenized samples plated on selective media and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). All ESBL-E and CPE strains were tested for antimicrobial susceptibilities. ESBL-E and CPE gene groups were detected by multiplex PCR and blaCTX-M-1/-2/-9 group strains were Sanger sequenced for CTX-M types. All CPE isolates were whole-genome sequenced. Isolation of ESBL-E from pig small (52.4%) and large (50%) intestines and tongues (25.1%) was significantly (P < 0.05) more frequent than from snakehead (0.94%) and black carp (0.5%) fish. ESBL-E isolates (n = 171) revealed resistance rates of 16.3%, 29.8%, 35.6%, 53.2%, 55.0%, and 100% to piperacillin-tazobactam, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefepime, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and ampicillin, respectively, whereas CPE (n = 28) were resistant to almost all the antibiotics tested except gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and fosfomycin. The predominant ESBL gene groups in fishes and pig offals were blaCTX, where blaCTX-M-55 was the major subtype in the blaCTX-M-1 group (64.4% of isolates in the group). blaCTX-M-14/-17 was the major genotype in the blaCTX-M-9 group (32.2%). All CPE strains possessed blaNDM genes. High rates of ESBL-E and CPE were identified in food animals from wet markets of Hong Kong, which may serve as a potential reservoir of antimicrobial-resistant genes and increase the challenges in tackling antimicrobial resistance beyond health care settings. IMPORTANCE Extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are of global health importance, yet there is a paucity of surveillance studies on food animals in Hong Kong. Here, we report a high prevalence of ESBL-E (ranging from 0.5% to 52.4%) and CPE (0% to 9.9%) from various food animal samples procured from wet markets across Hong Kong. All CPE strains were characterized by whole-genome sequencing and possessed NDM-1 and -5 genes and other resistance determinants. Given the increased resistance profile of these strains, this study highlights the emerging threat of ESBL-E and CPE disseminated in farmed animals. Furthermore, our data enriched our understanding of antibiotic resistance reservoirs from a One Health perspective that can widely spread across various niches, beyond health care settings.


2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 148-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
CA Graham ◽  
WO Kwok ◽  
YL Tsang ◽  
TH Rainer

Objective To explore why patients in Hong Kong seek medical advice from the emergency department (ED) and to identify the methods by which patients would prefer to be updated on the likely waiting time for medical consultation in the ED. Methods The study recruited 249 semi-urgent and non-urgent patients in the ED of Prince of Wales Hospital from 26th September 2005 to 30th September 2005 inclusive. A convenience sample of subjects aged ≥15 years old in triage categories 4 or 5 were verbally consented and interviewed by research nurses using a standardized questionnaire. Results From 1715 potential patients, 249 were recruited ad hoc (mean age 44 years [SD18]; 123 females). About 63% indicated that an acceptable ED waiting time was less than or equal to two hours, and 88% felt that having individual number cards and using a number allocation screen in the ED waiting area would be useful. Perceived reasons for attending the ED rather than other health care providers such as primary health care or the general outpatient clinic (GOPC) included: a desire for more detailed investigations (56%); a perception that more professional medical advice was given in the ED (35%); patients were under the continuing care of the hospital (19%); and patients were referred to the ED by other health care professionals (11%). Notably, 26% of participants had considered attending the GOPC prior to attending the ED. Patients educated to tertiary level expected a shorter waiting time than those educated to lesser degrees (p=0.026, Kruskal-Wallis test). Suggestions were made on how to provide a more pleasant ED environment for the wait for consultations, which included the provision of a television screen with sound in the waiting area (43%), more comfortable chairs (37%) and health care promotion programs (32%). Conclusion Patients chose ED services because they believed they would receive more detailed investigations and more professional medical advice than available alternatives. Clear notification of the likely waiting times and enhancement of comfort before consultation are considered desirable by patients. Enhanced public education about the role of the ED and making alternatives to ED care more accessible may be useful in reducing inappropriate ED attendances in Hong Kong.


2004 ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gourdel ◽  
Hoang-Ngoc ◽  
Le Van ◽  
Mazamba
Keyword(s):  

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakineh Meshkani ◽  
Mahmood Ghoranneviss ◽  
Mansoureh Lafouti

For understanding the effect of resonant helical magnetic field (RHF) and bias on the edge plasma turbulent transport, the radial and poloidal electric field (Er, EP), poloidal and toroidal magnetic field (BP, Br) were detected by the Langmuir probe, magnetic probe and diamagnetic loop. The poloidal, toroidal and radial velocity (VP, Vr, Vt) can be determined from the electric and magnetic field. In the present work, we have investigated the effect of the magnitude of bias (Vbias = 200v, Vbias = 320v) on Er, EP, BP, Bt, VP, Vr, Vt. Moreover, we applied RHF with L = 2, L = 3 and L = 2 and 3 and investigate the effect of the helical windings radius on above parameters. Also, the experiment was repeated by applying the positive biasing potentials and RHF's simultaneously. The results show that by applying bias to the plasma at t = 15 msec at r/a = 0.9, Er, BP and Bt increase while EP decreases. The best modification occurs at Vbias = 200v. By applying RHF to the plasma, both the electric and magnetic field vary. Er reaches the highest in the presence of RHF with L = 3. The same results are obtained for BP, Bt, VP and Vt. While the inverse results are obtained for EP and Vr. Finally, RHF and bias are applied simultaneously to the plasma. With applied bias with Vbias = 200v and RHF with L = 2 and 3, we reach to the ideal circumstance. The same results obtain in the situation with Vbias = 320v and RHF with L = 2 and 3.


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