ENG-2020 — Page 329

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Media and Communications

exchanges, promote Hong Kong and help Taiwanese enterprises set up businesses in Hong Kong. During the year, it continued to organise the 'Hong Kong Now' roving exhibition, published the Art & Culture@Hong Kong booklet to introduce popular cultural and district attractions, and held a Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic Cooperation Forum on digital transformation. It also collaborated with the Taipei offices of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Hong Kong Tourism Board to organise events promoting Hong Kong's trade and tourism.

Code on Access to Government Information

As an open and accountable government, all bureaus and departments make information available to the public according to the Code on Access to Information. The code stipulates that bureaus and departments should work on the basis that information requested will be released, and sets out the grounds on which disclosure may be refused. The public may complain to the Ombudsman if any bureau or department does not comply with the provisions of the code.

Communications Authority

The Communications Authority (CA), an independent statutory body established under the Communications Authority Ordinance, regulates Hong Kong's broadcasting and telecommunications industries according to the Broadcasting Ordinance, Telecommunications Ordinance, Communications Authority Ordinance, Broadcasting (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance, Trade Descriptions Ordinance and Competition Ordinance. It also enforces the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Ordinance.

The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA), the CA's executive arm and secretariat, helps the CA administer and enforce these ordinances.

Telecommunications

The government aims to facilitate the development of the telecommunications industry and enhance Hong Kong's position as the telecommunications hub of the region. Hong Kong's telecommunications services market is fully open to competition and the pro-market approach has encouraged an abundant supply of competitively priced state-of-the-art services for consumers and businesses.

Mobile Communications

Hong Kong entered the fifth generation (5G) era in the second quarter with the launch of commercial 5G mobile services. As at December, there were 23.14 million subscriptions to the four mobile network operators and 24 mobile virtual network operators, representing a population penetration rate of 293 per cent, one of the world's highest. Mobile data usage reached 88,017 terabytes, a 26 per cent rise over December 2019. On average, each resident used 10,380 megabytes per month in the past 12 months.

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