#Online legal consultation hk

[marlo-noni]

Here's part 2 of my Mandarin learning journey. For part 1, go here.

After I left university in 2003, I started working in an office. I was able to scrape together enough money to travel to China for 6 weeks in 2005.

I was 25 years old when I went to China for the first time in October-November 2005. I was traveling on my own, and I really didn't have much money, so it was the backpacking type of travel.

I started in Hong Kong, in Chungking Mansions. Then stayed with a friend of a friend in Guangzhou. Then I bussed to Yangshuo, Guangxi province; then an overnight train to Kunming, Yunnan province. Then buses to Dali and then Lijiang in Yunnan. Then back to Kunming, and then a 36-hour train ride back to Guangzhou (this was before high-speed rail in China), and then finally back to HK for a final week.

This was before smartphones and social media. It was the era of internet cafes in China - that was the only way you could get online. It was also before the Great Firewall (China banned Google in 2010). I kept in touch with my family and friends through email, long-distance phone cards, and Livejournal. My posts are still up, actually (that's the first one; you can use the navigation arrows to go to the next one).

My only way of looking up Chinese vocab when I was there was my Oxford Chinese-English dictionary, which as you can imagine is extremely limited! So I had lots of experiences where I embarrassed the heck out of myself and/or was simply not able to get my point across or understand what someone was saying to me. But that's also just learning a second language. Your skin gets thicker the more you do it. There were plenty of times where I was speaking to people who didn't know any English (see: literally 99% of the people on the train), so I just had to muddle through.

Being a white foreigner obviously helps - most people were pretty curious and friendly. When I was in Lijiang (where there were a ton of Chinese tour groups and hardly any foreigners), people wanted to take their picture with me.

I could say plenty more about this trip, but this is about my Mandarin learning journey. You can go read my account of it on Livejournal if you like. Keep in mind it's my PoV from 2005.

When I came back to Canada, I worked in the same office for about a year until I got totally sick of it, and then I became a bike courier for 9 months. This is relevant to the story. Being a bike courier affords you a lot of freedom, but it's physically tough and the pay is terrible. So I started applying for office jobs again, and I eventually got hired as a receptionist for a woman who was a notary public and immigration consultant. The reason she hired me is because I could speak Mandarin.

So, I worked as a receptionist/legal assistant at that office from 2007 to 2013 using my shitty Mandarin every day. My boss was from Taiwan and had originally been a paralegal at an immigration lawyer's office, until she started her own notary and immigration consulting practice. She was also a certified Chinese-English translator. So, the whole reason I'm a paralegal today is because this one lady wanted a receptionist who spoke fluent English and also understood some Chinese.

There were some really great things and really terrible things about that job. The good: I got to use Chinese every day, I learned how to be a legal assistant (notaries in my province can handle real estate transactions and prepare Wills and Powers of Attorney, and immigration consultants represent immigrants to Canada and prepare and submit their applications), and I got to do some simple translations because she was also a certified translator. I also gained a very rudimentary ability to read some traditional Chinese. Most of our clients were from the Mainland, though, not Taiwan.

The bad things: the pay was terrible (I started at $12/hour and ended at $18/hour, and by the end I was fully doing paralegal-level work - at my current job, I make about $42/hour now before taxes!), during the 2008 economic crash my boss had to cut my hours to 4 days/week because she lost a bunch of money in the stock market, and my boss was a tyrant. She scolded me a lot, and I'd often get in trouble for reasons that totally mystified me. I'm sure some of it was cultural, but I also think she was just unnecessarily harsh a lot of the time.

I knew someone who worked at a big law firm who tried to get me hired there, but their HR said I needed to get a legal assistant certificate, so I eventually went to school for 8 months full-time to get that, and then I got hired at my current law firm. I've been working at my current law firm since 2013.

The drawback for my Chinese learning at my current firm is that it's a legitimate mid-size law firm. There are about 45 lawyers. So everything has to be super professional, which means even though I speak some Chinese, I can't use my busted-ass Mandarin with clients. I know very little legal terminology, so anytime a lawyer wants someone to interpret, I can't really do that. Plus, it's Vancouver, so there are already some legal assistants at my firm who are actually fluent in Chinese who can do proper interpreting.

So, Chinese went back to being my hobby. That meant that there were ebbs and flows. I remember watching The Legend of Zhen Huan (Empresses in the Palace) in about 2015 when there was a super edited version of it on Netflix, and I got into it enough that I found the original series with English subs on some streaming site like Dramacool/Kissasian/its equivalent and watched the whole thing. After that, I watched the first half of Nirvana in Fire before something else grabbed my attention - eventually I need to watch that entire series! I remember learning a bunch of guzhuang vocabulary from those series that I hadn't heard before, like concubines referring to themselves as 奴婢, and people saying 陛下息怒 when the emperor was angry.

But what really happened is that my Chinese languished for quite a while. In 2017 I started planning a trip to Japan that I'd eventually take in 2019, and I started studying Japanese on Duolingo and then Lingodeer. I also discovered Skritter at that time, and used it to practice kanji, which of course I already had a huge head-start on because of Chinese. And I gotta say, even though Japanese has a very complicated writing system, it is SO MUCH easier to learn than Chinese, at least in my experience.

Then the pandemic hit, and I'm a white girl on Tumblr with an interest in Asian culture and a Netflix subscription, so what happened next was - you guessed it - in early 2021, I watched The Untamed for the first time. And when I finished it, I rewatched it again. And then I fell down that entire rabbit hole.

And as ridiculous as it is, The Untamed is what fully reignited my Chinese learning so that I'm at the point today where I've learned about 2900 Chinese characters, and I can watch Liu Yuning's livestream and understand about 75% of it. But let's leave that for the next part of this long-ass story.

[setupcompanyy]

What Businesses Need to Know About China’s Corporate Social Credit System

In 2014, the Chinese government announced its plan to implement a national credit system that is now entering its final stages of adoption in 2020. Once applied, the system is expected to influence every aspect of society, from individual consumers to corporate entities.

For foreign investors planning to set up a company in China, an understanding of the Chinese Corporate Social Credit System (CSCS) is vital.

That’s why we’ve broken down the basics of the credit system here, along with its financial implications on businesses.

Let’s start.

What is the Corporate Social Credit System?

China’s Corporate Social Credit System aims to build a transparent business environment and a trustworthy society. The mechanism relies on the expanding role of the Internet and technology that will be used to track the performance and business information of all entities.

Local governments will collect data from their jurisdictions and transfer it to the National Financial Credit Information Basic Database to create a unified record. To include micro and small business and rural areas in the database, the Credit Information System will also be integrated with the National Database.

What are the elements of the CSCS?

Ratings

The sheer geographical size and population of China make standardization a complex task; depending on the region and industry, standards and boundaries also differ. However, common elements can still be recognized through two categories: trustworthiness and honesty.

Businesses that are categorized as ‘trustworthy’ will receive several perks and benefits, while ‘dishonest’ organizations will suffer consequences. Businesses classified as extremely dishonest will be blacklisted with names published online.

Timeliness

The credit records of any entity can be reviewed upon request, which will feature data from a minimum of six months to at most five years. Publicity periods can also vary depending on dishonesty—information about blacklisted businesses will remain published unless they are removed from the list.

Data collection conditions

The information collected will be divided into three sections: basic data, information on dishonest practices, and ‘other.’ When businesses achieve awards, carry out CSR activities, and get commendations, the score will improve.

On the other hand, actions such as tax evasion, late tax payment, failure to comply with laws, and abnormal business practices will result in deductions.

Rewards and punishments

So why should businesses care about what score they have? A high score will be rewarded with several perks such as priority during administrative procedures, better fiscal and project support, priority access to investment opportunities, and lower bank fees.

The credit scores of businesses will also impact personal scores of senior management employees in the legal and financial departments. This means that high-rated businesses will have access to better talent too.

What will CSCS affect foreign investors?

Investors that are planning to open wholly-foreign owned businesses in China or open a joint venture can benefit from the new credit system. A quick credit check can reveal the history and trustworthiness of suppliers, partners, and other strategic stakeholders in China. From a financial perspective, a good score leads to several incentives, such as low fees, and excellent cost savings.

At the same time, the need for compliance is much more pertinent now. Entrepreneurs, managers, and business owners need to engage in more conscious decision making that’s in line with the rules and regulations.

 Working with a local consultant that has knowledge of regulatory laws and local customs can help you leverage the CSCS to your advantage. Business China is a leading consulting firm for businesses planning to launch operations in China.

They offer hassle-free packages that include several services, including WFOE investment management, setting up a bank account in HK, and setting up a trading company in China.

To learn more about their services, call +86-020-2917 9715.

[architectnews]

Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital Phase III

Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital Phase III of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Tender, Building Design

Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital Phase III of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

18 August 2020

Tender for Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital Phase III of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

Location: Shenzhen, China

Pre-announcement: Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital Phase III of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Schematic Design and Architecture Design Development

Tender for Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital Phase III of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Schematic Design and Architecture Design Development is about to be kicked off and the official tender announcement will be released soon. Design teams from around the globe are welcome to follow our latest update.

01 Project Positioning

The construction of Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital Phase III of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (hereinafter referred to as “the project”) is proposed to support and improve the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in Shenzhen, set a Shenzhen model for the “Healthy China Initiative” and promote medical development in the cardiovascular field. The project occupies a site area of 14,186 sqm, with a gross floor area of 185,165 sqm. It’s planned to accommodate 850 beds. The site planning should be cutting-edge, scientific as well as appropriate.

The project is aimed at supporting Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences to become the leading hospital in terms of cardiovascular disease diagnosis and treatment in Shenzhen, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and even Southern China, as well as a new regional highland of cardiovascular disciplines for National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Fuwai Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS). Tender for Schematic Design and Architecture Design Development will be launched soon. Design teams are required to achieve high-level planning and high-standard construction of the project with international vision, cutting-edge thinking and creative design.

Figure 1: City map

02 Bidding Scope

The winning bidder shall be responsible for the architectural design within the long-term planning scope, including master planning and programming of the hospital, as well as all-major schematic design, architecture development design and other related design cooperation for the project.

Figure 2: District map

03 Project Overview

The project is located on the northwest of the intersection of Langshan Road and Wushitou Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China, with a residential community and factory dormitories on the east, Tongfang Information Harbor, Unisplendour Information Harbor and a military industrial technology park on the south, Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital  Phase I of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (sits on No.12 Langshan Road) on the west side, and Songpingshan Park on the north side.

It has a gross floor area of 185,165 sqm and is planned to accommodate 850 beds. The construction of the project mainly includes seven basic facilities, physical examination rooms, night duty dormitories, open floors, verandas, underground garage and public transportation interchange facilities.

Long-term planning vision：

Further optimize the overall planning of Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital Phase I, Phase II and Phase III of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and improve the construction scheme, based on the positioning and development goals of the hospital.

Figure 3: Site location

04 Core Design Content

Design Content

The planning design should take into consideration the overall scale of the hospital area. The architectural schematic design and development design is mainly about the Phase III of the hospital.

Key points

Scientific design that responds to site conditions

Organize the relationship between entrances & exits and each building in a reasonable way, and arrange traffic flows in a scientific manner.

Comfortable medical care, privacy and independence

Pay attention to comfortable medical care for patients, set independent circulations for special patients and meet their demands for privacy.

Coordinated design, unified style

The construction of the project shall take account of the unity and coordination of the entire hospital space, by taking into consideration the architectural style of Phase I and II. Buildings shall be coordinated and connected and dialogue with each other.

Architectural appearance that emphasizes harmony with surroundings

The architectural forms, volumes and hues of the project shall harmoniously coordinate and integrate with surrounding buildings, urban spaces and urban landscape.

Green buildings, low carbon and energy saving

Construct a new type of sustainable hospital, and adopt green building design concepts to build a green hospital that’s environment-friendly and energy-saving.

People foremost, care for both medical personnel and patients

Architectures shall be conceived based on barrier-free design principles and fully take into consideration the needs of medical personnel, patients, the disabled, and special patients.

Integrated space, healing environment

Take full account of the integration of interior and outdoor landscape, and create a good environment and spatial experiences for both the medical personnel and patients.

Figure 4: Site conditions

05 Bidding Rules

Prequalification Stage

The prequalification evaluation committee shall review the tender documents such as company’s capacity, performance of the proposed project team and conceptual proposals submitted by the bidders, and select candidates to enter the design bidding stage.

Design Bidding Stage

Prequalified bidders shall deliver documents in compliance with the Design Brief. The tenderee shall constitute a bid evaluation committee and open votes will be adopted to select 3 shortlisted candidates. The winning bidder would be finally confirmed by the bid determination committee formed by the tenderee.

Application Requirements

The specific bidding procedure is subject to the official tender announcement.

The applicant must be registered enterprise or organization.

Application as a joint group is allowed in this tender. Individuals or teams of individuals are unaccepted. Requirements for joint groups are as below:

The number of joint group members should be no more than 2.

Members of a joint group should not re-apply for the bid independently in the name of their own or other joint group constituted with other design institutes.

A Joint Group Agreement with legal effect is required to clarify the leading member, equity share, proposed working responsibilities, division of work and so on.

07 Design Fee

The total design fee is tentatively set at CNY 19.54 million (Compensation for excellent schemes fail to win the bid is included).

08 Pre-registration

The official tendering announcement will be released soon and design teams are welcome for pre-registration. Design teams with bid intention can click this link https://jinshuju.net/f/QnzhXd to fill in the pre-registration information.

Tender Announcement

The tender will be officially announced soon, and the specific bidding content and tendering schedule are subject to the official tender announcement.

Official tender announcement platform: Shenzhen Construction Engineering Transaction Service Website.

Intended participants shall start preparation for the bidding by registering at the Shenzhen Electronic Tendering Bidding Transaction Platform: https://ift.tt/3iQkrfx; Each member/unit of the joint group shall register separately.

Please click here to download the manual for conducting online enterprise information registration: https://w.url.cn/s/AsKJ9IZ.

10 Tenderee and Co-organizer

Tenderee: Engineering Design Management Center of Bureau of Public Works of Shenzhen Municipality

User: Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

Co-organizer: Shenzhen Shenshui Water Resources Consulting Co.,Ltd.

Enquiry Email：601466704@qq.com

Hotline: Mr. Wang +86-0755-256160553,13688812347 (Monday – Friday (UCT+8) 9:00-12:00, 14:00-18:00)

All project information herein is subject to the tendering announcement published on Shenzhen Construction Engineering Transaction Service Website.

Source: Engineering Design Management Center of Bureau of Public Works of Shenzhen Municipality

Hospital buildings

Tender for Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital Phase III of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China images / information received 170820

Location: Shenzhen, China

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Comments / photos for the Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital Phase III of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences page welcome

The post Shenzhen Fuwai Hospital Phase III appeared first on e-architect.

[whittlebaggett8]

What China Is Saying About the Hong Kong Protests

In the upside earth of Chinese state media, the extradition monthly bill is truly supported by most Hong Kongers.

On Sunday and once more on Wednesday, Hong Kong saw mass protests against what is greatly recognized as the extradition bill — proposed amendments to the Chinese exclusive administration region’s (SAR’s) guidelines created to let the case-by-situation extradition of required fugitives to international locations with which Hong Kong has no extradition treaty. Mostly controversially, that would for the initially time allow extraditions to mainland China. A broad swath of Hong Kongers, from lawful scholars to grandparents and higher education pupils, dread that would make it possible for authorities in Beijing to need the arrest and extradition of activists centered in Hong Kong on nebulous nationwide stability costs. The huge protests aimed at blocking the bill’s passage are this week’s main information story not only in Hong Kong media, but in newspapers around the entire world.

On mainland China, nonetheless, protection is more difficult to uncover. Headlines on Thursday focused as an alternative on President Xi Jinping’s excursion to Kyrgyzstan. In the meantime, censors ended up difficult at function scrubbing any point out of the turmoil in Hong Kong from Chinese social media platforms. Numerous WeChat users documented they were being unable to send out pics or movies of the protests Sina Weibo was blocking lookup phrases similar to the protests. Telegram, a well-known messaging app remaining employed to enable manage the protests, documented a “state actor-sized DDoS” attack making use of “IP addresses coming generally from China.”

All that censorship left a vacuum of information, which the Chinese point out-run media then experienced to fill. How Chinese media shops included the protests – to the extent that they did – was telling.

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In most likely the most egregious example, China Day by day downplayed the selection of protesters opposing the invoice and targeted practically exclusively on signals of guidance, saying that 800,000 folks experienced signed a petition in favor of the extradition legislation. The short article was widely mocked by observers for its title (“800,000 say ‘yes’ to rendition bill”) and its lede (“Despite the blazing heat, representatives of many corporations in Hong Kong rose to the celebration on Sunday, staging numerous general public activities throughout the town in assistance of the government’s programs to amend the SAR’s extradition laws”). Taken in isolation, that headline and very first sentence strongly suggest that the significant protests on Sunday had been in favor of the legislation.

Also, China’s International Ministry claimed that the protesters did not signify the “mainstream” in Hong Kong. Spokesperson Geng Shuang told reporters Thursday that “any move that undermines Hong Kong’s prosperity and security is opposed by the mainstream community viewpoint there.”

As standard, Geng also insisted that Hong Kong has seen no erosion of legal rights because the handover in 1997. “[S]ince the return of Hong Kong, guidelines including ‘one region, two systems,’ ‘Hong Kong people today administering Hong Kong’ and a high degree of autonomy have been earnestly carried out,” he explained. “Hong Kong people’s legal rights and freedoms have been thoroughly guaranteed.”

In a earlier press conference, Geng – like China Day by day – held up the 800,000 determine as proof that Hong Kongers mostly support the extradition amendment. “[O]ver 800,000 Hong Kong citizens participated in things to do supporting the amendment to safeguard Hong Kong’s protection,” he stated. “It thoroughly demonstrates that the endorsement of the amendment by the SAR authorities is the mainstream viewpoint in Hong Kong.” Notice that signing a petition has now come to be the a lot more generic – and extra extraordinary sounding – “participating in activities.”

The declare that most Hong Kongers support the invoice was taken up in far more depth by Xinhua, China’s condition-run information agency, in a June 12 posting. The piece, also picked up by People’s Daily, was not subtle in its title: “Hong Kong’s mainstream public belief supports the SAR in amending the ‘Fugitive Offenders Ordinance’ and avoiding Hong Kong from becoming a ‘fugitive’s paradise.’”

The posting starts by subject-of-factly earning a doubtful declare: That, because the Hong Kong authorities 1st proposed the amendments, the revised legislation has received mainstream general public help. “The huge greater part of [Hong Kong] metropolis residents seem forward to the SAR’s Legislative Council finishing the amendments as scheduled, and closing a legal loophole,” Xinhua declares. As proof of that declare, Xinhua lists a variety of trade businesses that have appear out in the assist of the bill, like the Chinese Manufacturers’ Affiliation of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Federation of Education and learning Employees (both equally recognised for staying professional-Beijing). Xinhua also cites a superior number of professional-extradition supporters – this time “nearly 900,000” – that signed an on the internet petition supporting the invoice.

In truth, a study carried out by the Public View Software of the University of Hong Kong (HKUPOP) found that 60 percent of respondents “disagree/strongly disagree on extraditing HK people to mainland [China]” even though only 17 per cent concur or strongly concur. When questioned if they would have self confidence in “one region, two systems” ought to the extradition monthly bill pass, just 29 percent reported they would 67 % said they would not.

The Xinhua short article also emphasised the Hong Kong government’s attempts to obtain general public opinion and revise the monthly bill. Predictably, the post does not mention problems – such as from pointed out Hong Kong lawful students – that even the revised monthly bill could be abused by mainland Chinese authorities. Underneath the regulation as now penned, Beijing could implement force to Hong Kong’s chief executive to approve nearly all extradition requests. Legal specialists say more amendments would be wanted to completely handle these worries. According to the HKUPOP study, 73 percent of respondents are still expecting “a extensive community consultation on the law” – strongly implying that the preceding endeavours were being not more than enough.

Even extra telling – but unsurprising – is the fact that Xinhua makes no try to make clear why, specifically, any person could possibly oppose the monthly bill. Interestingly, there is no reference at all to the fact that the modification would also permit Hong Kong inhabitants to be extradited to mainland China — until you rely repeated mentions that the central Chinese federal government backs the proposed invoice.

The write-up does not mention the mass anti-extradition protests right until in the vicinity of the end. Initially there are oblique references to “interference” and “crude meddling” from “foreign forces.” Last but not least, Xinhua notes that the second reading of the draft monthly bill had to be postponed due to the fact of protesters around the Legislative Council chambers “occupying roadways, provoking difficulties, and violently attacking the police’s defensive line.”

China Day-to-day also emphasized the violence on the aspect of protesters:

Masked protesters, outfitted with umbrellas and goggles, built steel barricades to confront law enforcement officers. Some protesters have been observed prying bricks from the sidewalk.

A police assertion launched on Wednesday night reported protesters regularly charged law enforcement strains and engaged in existence threatening functions which includes environment fires and attacking officers making use of bricks and sharpened iron poles.

As an illustration, China Daily made use of a photograph of a bleeding police officer, with the caption: “A law enforcement officer attends to an hurt colleague as hundreds of masked protesters attack police officers.” The article as opposed Wednesday’s protests to “the unlawful ‘Occupy Central’ motion in 2014.”

Based mostly on formal statements and point out-run media reviews, Beijing thinks – or at least is trying to make other individuals think – that the protesters are portion of a radical, violent minority who are “undermining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.” As is typically the circumstance, the protesters are also joined, without the need of evidence, to meddling from unnamed “foreign forces.” It is a fairly standard reaction from China to any protest movements within the country, but notably jarring when as opposed to media experiences from inside of Hong Kong alone.

The post What China Is Saying About the Hong Kong Protests appeared first on Defence Online.

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[olliejennabn]

HK banking enters new era

Our banking sector, I'm pleased to note, is indeed more than ready for the arrival of this new era, a new era marked by the unstoppable wave of innovation and technology. Our banking sector is responding, or to be more precise, evolving smartly. Technology has given rise to a more competitive but yet more vibrant market, boosting product offerings and business performance of banks.

 If we are to stay ahead of the game, we must fully harness the potential of innovation and technology. To this end, we are undertaking city-wide initiatives to create a smart society.

 Last December, the Government published the Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong. Our vision is more than clear: we have to build a smart Hong Kong, and in doing so, we will strengthen our economy and enhance the quality of life in Hong Kong.

 The blueprint targets six major areas and more than 70 initiatives.

 For instance, we will provide an electronic identity for all Hong Kong residents, free of charge. It will allow them to use a single digital identity and authentication to conduct governmental and commercial transactions online. The electronic identity programme will get going in mid-2020.

 Turning to our banking industry, technology is no doubt a critical game changer. Not long ago, the idea of doing your banking on a computer, or a pocket-sized mobile phone, would have seemed the stuff of science fiction. Today, of course, it's everyday life.

 Industry reshaper

Financial technology, or fintech, is reshaping the financial services industry. We are seeing new modes of service delivery, enhanced consumer experience, greater operational efficiency, and improved financial inclusion.

 Hong Kong is indeed the ideal centre for developing fintech. After all, we are one of the world's leading financial centres. Earlier this month, Hong Kong was ranked third, worldwide, in the Global Financial Centres Index, finishing a scant three points behind London, which just fell short of New York City.

 The Index rated 110 centres on a wide range of competitive areas. Hong Kong, I'm pleased to report, ranked number one in investment management, as well as infrastructure and human capital. In banking, we finished second, just behind London.

 All these are contributed by our world-beating financial and banking talents, the free-flow of capital and information, world-class financial infrastructure, a vigorous regulatory framework, our common law legal system and our fine tradition of rule of law.

 To ensure we progress further, this Government and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) are doing everything we can.

 The HKMA, for example, launched the Faster Payment System last week, in response to increasing market needs for more efficient and instant electronic payment services.

 The system supports real-time, round-the-clock fund transfer and payment services in Hong Kong dollars and renminbi across different banks and stored value facility operators with the use of mobile phone numbers, email addresses or QR (Quick Response) codes.

 In addition, an industry group led by the HKMA has established a common QR code standard. Using a single QR code will make it a lot easier for merchants, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to accept payment by different schemes.

 The HKMA also fostered the development of a distributed ledger technology-based trade finance platform which will soon be launched, digitising paper-based documents and automating the trade finance process.

 This can only help banks and stored value facility operators roll out more innovative payment services; in turn, they will promote their wider adoption by customers and merchants.

 To encourage the banking sector's adoption of the open application programming interface (API), in July, the HKMA published an Open API Framework following a public consultation.

 Bank-tech synergy

Banks are expected to implement open APIs in four phases starting from next year. I believe the wider adoption of an open API framework will promote collaboration between banks and tech firms, stimulating innovation and improving services for customers.

 Customer confidence is key to the widespread adoption of any new technology. That's particularly true in banking. To that end, the HKMA's Fintech Supervisory Sandbox, launched in 2016, gives the industry a stable testing ground for new products.

 Last year, the HKMA upgraded the sandbox, introducing three new features: a Fintech Supervisory Chatroom for supervisory feedback, direct access to the Chatroom by tech firms and a single point of entry linking up the sandboxes of the HKMA, the Securities & Futures Commission (SFC) and the Insurance Authority, thereby facilitating pilot trials of cross-sector fintech products.

 Sandbox use has steadily expanded since its establishment. I understand the industry appreciates the sandbox's ability to expedite new fintech products, allowing banks and technology companies to obtain user and regulatory feedback at an early stage.

 We are also promoting virtual banks. In May, the HKMA issued a revised Guideline on the Authorisation of Virtual Banks, adapting its existing requirements to better suit the business models of virtual banks. And that is to enable banks, financial institutions and technology companies to promote fintech, and innovation in general in Hong Kong, opening possibilities for them to offer new customer experience.

 In serving the retail segment, including SMEs, virtual banks can help promote financial inclusion. And I am pleased to note that about 30 applications for virtual bank licences have been received.

 The HKMA is now evaluating the applications and hopes to begin granting licences to virtual banks by the end of this year.

 Fintech ecosystem

Fintech, to be sure, does not evolve in isolation. And in this regard, we have been working closely with Shenzhen and other global financial centres. In June, the first Shenzhen-Hong Kong Fintech Award, organised by the HKMA and the Shenzhen Office of Financial Development Service, featured five winners from Hong Kong.

 The Shenzhen Summer Internship Programme, which began in June, enabled 50 Hong Kong students working there with eight fintech companies for six weeks to allow them to experience Shenzhen's fintech ecosystem. The two cities, I should add, have agreed to provide reciprocal, soft-landing support for fintech.

 The HKMA has also entered into fintech co-operation agreements with the United Kingdom, Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Brazil, the Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market.

 The HKMA and the Monetary Authority of Singapore are jointly developing the Global Trade Connectivity Network, a cross-border information highway linking trade and trade finance in the two cities.

 The HKMA has also made good progress in the Banking Made Easy initiative, which identifies possible regulatory friction in the digital experience of customers. This includes remote onboarding, online finance and online wealth management, while ensuring that the banking sector remains effectively supervised.

 Anti-money laundering legislation and related guidelines, for example, have been amended to provide greater flexibility for the use of technology in remote customer onboarding.

 Banks will now be allowed to develop consumer finance portfolios underwritten by such new credit-risk management methods as big data and behavioural analysis.

 The HKMA has also collaborated with the SFC and the Insurance Authority to streamline requirements for the online distribution of investment and insurance products.

 A broad and continuing flow of talent is critical to realising our long-term promise, which is why the Government, last month, initiated its first Talent List for Hong Kong.

 It was designed to support Hong Kong's development as a high value-added and diversified economy. Created, in short, to attract talented individuals from around the world in a more effective and focused manner. To that end, the talent list features 11 targeted professions with fintech included.

 Recruiting tech talent

Separately, the Technology Talent Admission Scheme also provides fast-track admission for eligible overseas and Mainland research and development talent.

 Under the first phase of this pilot scheme, tenants and incubatees of the Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport engaging in fintech, and related areas, are eligible to apply.

 We're also working to expand local talent through our universities, as well as internships, entrepreneurial training and much more.

 The Chinese University of Hong Kong, last year, introduced a new, four-year undergraduate programme in fintech. Earlier this year, the University of Hong Kong launched Asia's first fintech open online course, in concert with Australia's University of New South Wales and a number of industry leaders.

 In January, the HKMA introduced an enhanced version of its Fintech Career Accelerator Scheme, providing full-time banking placements for students looking to take part in fintech projects.

 And, of course, Fintech Week opening in just over a month, will attract about 8,000 participants from some 50 countries and regions. This year, for the first time, Fintech Week will travel to Shenzhen on the event's final day, definitely drawing participants' attention to the opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. I am very pleased to note that the Hong Kong Institute of Bankers is playing a proactive role in helping the industry to capitalise on the opportunities ahead.

 Financial Secretary Paul Chan gave these remarks at the 10th Hong Kong Institute of Bankers Banking Conference on September 27.

from news.gov.hk - Business & Finance http://www.news.gov.hk/eng/2018/09/20180927/20180927_125306_116.html

[architectnews]

SUSTech School of Medicine & Affiliated Hospital Tender

Shenzhen SUSTech School of Medicine & Affiliated Hospital Tender, Chinese Building Design

Tender for SUSTech School of Medicine & Affiliated Hospital

17 August 2020

Tender for Schematic Design and Preliminary Architectural Design News

Location: Shenzhen, China

Tender for SUSTech School of Medicine & SUSTech Affiliated Hospital

Pre-announcement: Tender for Schematic Design and Preliminary Architectural Design for SUSTech School of Medicine & SUSTech Affiliated Hospital (Main Campus-Based)

Tender for Schematic Design and Preliminary Architectural Design for SUSTech School of Medicine & SUSTech Affiliated Hospital (Main Campus-Based) is about to be kicked off and the official tender announcement will be released soon. Design teams from around the globe are welcome to follow our latest update.

1 Project Positioning Rooted in Shenzhen, SUSTech School of Medicine is positioned as an internationalized first-class medical academic institution, which integrates science, technology and medicine. Supported by SUSTech (full name: Southern University of Science and Technology), SUSTech Affiliated Hospital (Main Campus-Based) draws on the characteristics of affiliated hospitals of high-level medical schools at home and abroad, and strives to meet the needs of scientific research and teaching, develop a clinical innovation base and provide advanced medical services. It aims to become a high-level medical talent training base in Shenzhen and lay the foundation for building a new research-oriented hospital.

Figure 1: Project location

2 Bidding Scope The tender will determine that the winning bidder of the project will be responsible for the overall planning of SUSTech School of Medicine & SUSTech Affiliated Hospital (Main Campus-Based) area, as well as the all-major schematic design, preliminary architectural design and other related design cooperation for SUSTech School of Medicine and SUSTech Affiliated Hospital (Main Campus-Based).

3 Project Overview The project SUSTech School of Medicine & SUSTech Affiliated Hospital (Main Campus-Based) is located in the southeast area of the main Campus of SUSTech, which is situated within the University Town of Shenzhen in Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen. SUSTech School of Medicine has a land area of about 63,600 m2 and a gross floor area of about 164,000 m2. It consists of teaching buildings, research laboratory, teachers’ apartments, student dormitories and other related ancillary buildings. It’s planned to enroll 2,000 students.

SUSTech Affiliated Hospital (Main Campus-Based) occupies a land area of about 55,000 m2 and a gross floor area of about 167,600 m2, among which the above-ground floor area is 117,200 m2 and the underground floor area (for parking and civil air defence) is 50,400 m2. It consists of seven basic facilities (including emergency department, outpatient clinic, inpatient department, medical technical department, back of house, office, and living area), and spaces for R&D, teaching, physical examination and night duty. The hospital is planned to accommodate 800 beds.

Figure 2: Plots

4 Design Content & Key Points The design content of SUSTech School of Medicine & SUSTech Affiliated Hospital (Main Campus-Based) includes master planning, all-major schematic design, the preliminary architectural design and other related design cooperation.

5 Bidding Rules 1. Prequalification Stage The prequalification evaluation committee should review the tender documents such as company’s qualification, achievements, performance of the proposed project team, conceptual proposals submitted by the bidders. Several candidates would be confirmed to enter the design bidding stage. Requirements on the conceptual proposals for the prequalification: a. Analyze key points of the planning and design of the project, based on the planning conditions of the hospital and the school of medicine, site conditions, architectural types as well as the current layout and form of the campus. b. Provide ideas for achieving organic and integrated design of the hospital and the school of medicine based on international trends. Emphases should be put on the way of linking the buildings across Dasha River, possibilities of arranging several architectural clusters, and the treatment of indoor and outdoor spaces between architectural clusters. c. Explore how to realize harmonious unity of architectural forms via design languages, by taking account of the traditions of the school of medicine, tranquil academic atmosphere, and the modern, open attributes of the hospital. 2. Design Bidding Stage Prequalified bidders shall deliver documents in compliance with the Design Brief. The tenderee shall constitute a bid evaluation committee and open votes will be adopted to select 3 shortlisted candidates. The awarded bidder would be finally confirmed by the bid determination committee formed by the tenderee.

6 Application Requirements 1. The applicant must be registered enterprise or organization. 2. Application as a joint group is allowed in this tender. Individuals or teams of individuals are unaccepted. Requirements for joint groups are as below: a. The number of joint group members should be no more than 3. b. Members of a joint group should not re-apply for the bid independently in the name of their own or other joint group constituted with other design institutes. c. A Joint Group Agreement with legal effect is required to clarify the leading member, equity share, proposed working responsibilities, division of work and so on.

7 Design Fee This bidding contract is a fixed unit price contract. The winning bid price is subject to the bid price. The total design fee is tentatively set at CNY 31.20 million, which includes the basic design fee, BIM design fee and compensation fee for excellent schemes fail to win the bid.

8 Pre-registration The official announcement of the tender will be released soon. Local and international design teams are welcome to make apre-registration with us. Interested parties are welcome to fill in the pre-registration information. We will also send you an email alert when the official announcement is out.

9 Tender Announcement 1. The tender will be officially announced soon, and the specific bidding content and tendering schedule are subject to the official tender announcement. 2. Intended participants shall start preparation for the bidding by registering at the Shenzhen Electronic Tendering Bidding Transaction Platform: https://ift.tt/3h3ji40 member/unit of the joint group shall register separately. 3. Please click here to download the manual for conducting online enterprise information registration.

10 Tenderee And Co-organizer Tenderee: Engineering Design Management Center of Bureau of Public Works of Shenzhen Municipality User: Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) Co-organizer: Shenzhen Shenshui Water Resources Consulting Co.,Ltd. Enquiry Email：601466704@qq.com Hotline: Mr. Wang +86-0755-256160553,13688812347 (Monday – Friday (UCT+8) 9:00-12:00, 14:00-18:00)

All project information herein is subject to the tendering announcement published on Shenzhen Construction Engineering Transaction Service Website.

Source: Engineering Design Management Center of Bureau of Public Works of Shenzhen Municipality

Hospital buildings

Tender for SUSTech School of Medicine & SUSTech Affiliated Hospital, China images / information received 170820

Location: Shenzhen, China

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