ENG-2020 — Page 24

Calendar of Events

2020

پیا

31

The government announces that all schools will resume face-to-face classes by two phases starting 23 September for the new school year after the summer holidays.

The second tranche of the Employment Support Scheme opens for application. At the end of the two-week application period, a total of 162,000 applications from employers and 26,000 from self-employed persons have been received.

September

1

8

00

9

10

15

16

18

To reduce air pollution, regulations take effect to progressively phase out 40,000 existing Euro IV diesel commercial vehicles by the end of 2027.

The community-wide testing programme for COVID-19 is launched, with 141 community testing centres operating in 18 districts. Some 126,000 people have their specimens taken for testing on the first day, and by the end of the 14-day programme, around 1,783,000 specimens have been collected, of which over 40 are tested positive for the virus.

Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui is awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 77th Venice International Film Festival.

Hong Kong's population is projected to peak at 8.11 million in mid-2041, then decline to 7.35 million by mid-2069.

The Fraser Institute of Canada ranks Hong Kong as the world's freest economy in the Economic Freedom of the World 2020 Annual Report, a title Hong Kong has held since the inception of the report in 1996.

Delivering a video message at the 45th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Switzerland, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, in his capacity as the deputy head of the China. delegation, stresses that the national security law is designed to bolster the successful 'one country, two systems' principle which continues to drive Hong Kong's progress.

The government formally objects to, and requests the withdrawal of, the new requirement announced by the US Customs and Border Protection on 11 August that goods produced in Hong Kong that are imported to the US may no longer be marked to indicate 'Hong Kong' as their origin, but must be marked to indicate 'China'

With the support of the Central Government, the HKSAR Government and Shenzhen Municipal Government sign a collaboration agreement to expand the community treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo with 952 beds and to construct a temporary hospital adjacent to AsiaWorld-Expo to provide 816 beds in negative pressure wards and associated medical facilities.

viii