ENG-2013 — Page 18

Calendar of Events

2013

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22

24

25

26

27

28

1

March

4

13

18

19

To cool the property market, the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, announces the doubling of the rates of existing ad valorem stamp duty applicable to both residential and non-residential properties.

A record 72,000 runners take part in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2013, raising funds for a range of charities.

The new Hong Kong Maritime Museum at Central Pier 8 is opened by the Chief Executive.

The Chief Executive meets the visiting Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, Her Excellency Yingluck Shinawatra, at Government House.

Hong Kong and Thailand sign the Co-operation Arrangement on Strengthening Trade and Economic Relations.

The Financial Secretary puts forward a range of measures in his 2013-14 Budget to develop the economy, optimise human resources, invest in infrastructure and care for people's livelihood.

The government announces it will restart its land sale programme from 2013-14 and abolish the Application Mechanism to take back the initiative in land supply.

The Import and Export (General) (Amendment) Regulation 2013 comes into effect, prohibiting the unlicensed export of powdered formula, including milk powder and soya milk powder, for infants and children under 36 months. An exemption allows persons leaving Hong Kong aged 16 or above to export no more than 1.8 kilograms of powdered formula in their accompanied personal luggage in any 24-hour period. The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, and a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government delegation attend completion ceremonies in Sichuan for two HKSAR reconstruction projects, bringing to 175 the number of HKSAR reconstruction projects completed in earthquake-stricken areas in Sichuan Province.

The HKSAR and the Czech Republic sign three bilateral agreements on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, Surrender of Persons Wanted for Criminal Proceedings, and Transfer of Sentenced Persons.

The Chief Executive chairs the first meeting of the Economic Development Commission. He says the government places as much emphasis on economic development as it does on livelihood issues, because only with persistent and more vigorous economic growth can Hong Kong have the necessary resources to address its deep-seated problems, including housing, poverty and an ageing population. The Home Affairs Bureau launches a two-year pilot scheme under which community lawyers will provide free legal procedural advice for litigants in person who have commenced, or are parties to, legal proceedings in the District Court or higher courts and who have not been granted legal aid.

The Lands Department announces that two residential sites in Kai Tak will be disposed of by public tender under the 'Hong Kong Property for Hong Kong People' measure, meaning that the flats to be built on the two sites can only be sold to Hong Kong Permanent Residents.

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