Hong Kong resident Lau Fo-lam, who lives in Shenzhen, Guangdong, makes plastic flowers with children. YU YANMIN/FOR CHINA DALY Fewer older people from Hong Kong are moving to the mainland to take advantage of lower costs to fund their retirement, as Zhou Mo reports. Living on the other side of the border used to be a popular option for retired seniors in Hong Kong, especially as they often had to wait years to be allocated a place at a local nursing home. Larger homes, a lower cost of living and a better social environment were some of the factors that prompted seniors to spend the autumn of their lives in the Chinese mainland. However, in recent years the number choosing to make the move has fallen. The appreciation of the yuan against the Hong Kong dollar has resulted in a higher cost of living on the mainland, so it is no longer a cheap option for Hong Kong seniors, especially as they do not qualify for free use of the mainland's social welfare services and must use their savings to pay all expenses. In October 2013, the Hong Kong government launched the Guangdong Scheme. It offers an allowance of HK$1,325 ($169) a month to eligible Hong Kong seniors age 65 or older who choose to reside in Guangdong province, but the number of people drawing the allowance is falling every year. The Hong Kong Social Welfare Department said 14,600 people benefited from the policy in 2016-17, a fall of 15 percent from the 17,194 recorded in 2013-14. The number of recipients of Portable Comprehensive Social Security Assistance has also declined. The program is part of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, a welfare measure that provides supplementary payments to Hong Kong residents whose income is too low to cover daily needs. Portable Comprehensive Social Security Assistance extends the concept by ensuring that residents who choose to live in Guangdong or Fujian province still receive the monthly payment, boosted by an annual long-term supplement. In 2015-16, 1,733 people claimed welfare benefits; a fall of about 25 percent from the 2,304 who claimed in 2012-13. cheap silicone wristbands uklogo wristbandscustom made rubber braceletsfidget spinner braceletlivestrong braceletrubber bracelets cheapcustom sweatbands no minimum24hr wristband
Hong Kong police have notified a local pro-independence group of the intention to ban its operation in accordance with the Societies Ordinance, the city's security chief said on Tuesday.In a press briefing, Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu said he had received a recommendation from an assistant societies officer to make the move.The group will have 21 days to make representations in writing and explain why the Secretary for Security should not make such an order, Lee said.The deadline is 5 pm on Aug 7.Lee said he will not make a decision until after the deadline, or until after he receives the group's written representations within the deadline.According to Section 8 of the Societies Ordinance, the Societies Officer may recommend the Secretary for Security make an order prohibiting the operation of a society if he reasonably believes the prohibition of the society's operation is necessary in the interests of national security, public safety, public order or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.This is the first time Hong Kong police have enforced Section 8 of the Societies Ordinance since the city was returned to the motherland in 1997, Lee said.People enjoy freedom of association in Hong Kong, but such freedom is not limitless, Lee said.As stipulated in the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance, lawful restrictions may be placed on the exercise of freedom of association if they are necessary in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others, Lee added.Founded in 2016, the Hong Kong National Party claims to uphold "a self-reliant nation" and an "independent Hong Kong" as its goal.Its convener, Andy Chan Ho-tin, acknowledged receiving a letter from the police on Tuesday, as he uploaded the bilingual message onto the group's social media page.
