ENG-2018 — Page 22

Calendar of Events

2018

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14-16

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15-20

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Fines for five congestion-related traffic offences under the Fixed Penalty (Criminal Proceedings) Ordinance increase 25 per cent to $400 and $560, the first such changes since 1994.

The Higher Old Age Living Allowance is launched to provide $3,485 a month to eligible elderly people with more financial needs while the current allowance, of $2,600, is renamed Normal Old Age Living Allowance.

Hong Kong beats Korea 39-5 on home ground to claim its first Asia Rugby Championship title.

LegCo passes the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (Co-location) Bill after conducting over 60 hours of discussion of the bill, including two public hearing sessions. The completion of the 'Three-step Process' provides a sound legal basis for the implementation of the co-location arrangement at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station.

The Chief Executive visits Europe. She has an audience with HM King Philippe of the Belgians and meets the President of the European Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, in Belgium and the French Prime Minister, Mr Edouard Philippe, in France.

The Green Bond Grant Scheme is launched to subsidise eligible green bond issuers to obtain certification under the Green Finance Certification Scheme, established by the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency on 3 January to provide third-party conformity assessments for issuers on their green financial instruments with reference to international and national standards on green finance.

The Highways Department expresses deep concern and dismay about supervision problems in the building of a reinforced concrete wall at To Kwa Wan Station of the Shatin to Central Link project, and about the contractor's excavation at Exhibition Centre Station exceeding the allowable depth, a situation that the MTR Corporation allowed to persist for a prolonged period. The construction of a platform in the Hung Hom Station extension is referred to the police.

Ms Vivian Kong Man-wai becomes Hong Kong's first woman to win a gold at the Asian Fencing Championships, triumphing in the women's épée individual event in Bangkok. Mr Cheung Siu-lun wins the men's foil individual event.

A three-year pilot Technology Talent Admission Scheme is introduced to help companies in the Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport to fast-track the hiring. of non-local research and development (R&D) personnel in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, cyber security, robotics, data analytics, financial technology and material science.

Hong Kong signs a Free Trade Agreement with Georgia, the first with a country in the Caucasus.

The Chief Executive unveils six housing initiatives, including revising the pricing mechanism for the Home Ownership Scheme and levying special rates, of 200 per

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