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Apr exports value down 13%

The value of Hong Kong's total exports decreased to $338.3 billion in April, down 13% on the same month last year, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.   The value of imports of goods decreased 11.9% to $374.9 billion for the same period.   A trade deficit of $36.6 billion, or 9.8% of the value of imports, was recorded in April.   Comparing the three-month period ending April with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of exports rose 15.4%, while that of imports increased 10.7%.   The Government noted that the value of merchandise exports declined further from a year earlier in April. Exports to the Mainland, the US and the European Union all shrank and exports to other major Asian markets recorded decreases of varying degrees.   Looking ahead, it added that the weakness in the advanced economies will continue to weigh on Hong Kong's export performance, though the expected faster recovery of the Mainland economy should

Youth commission meets

Chief Secretary John Lee today chaired the Youth Development Commission's ninth meeting where members welcomed the new youth development initiatives and the direction of reorganising the Government structure to foster and support youth development in the 2021 Policy Address.   The commission will actively follow up on the Chief Executive’s invitation to explore the introduction of a new funding scheme to subsidise eligible non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to organise projects that are conducive to nurturing young people's positive thinking.   It will roll out a new thematic funding scheme on outdoor adventure training activities for more NGOs to provide systematic and quality outdoor adventure training activities for young people.   Members were also briefed on the latest progress of the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme, as well as the details of relevant Policy Address initiatives on education and nurturing innovation and technology talents.   Mr Lee said the Policy Address responds to young people's needs in education, career pursuit and home ownership, as well as participation in politics and public policy discussion and debate.   Looking ahead, he said the commission will promote young people's positive thinking and put more emphasis on their diversified development through different initiatives.   It will also deepen schemes for youth exchange, internship, entrepreneurship and employment to facilitate young people to better grasp the opportunities brought about by the National 14th Five-Year Plan and development of the bay area, he added.   Members were also briefed on the youth development work of the Security Bureau together with its six disciplined services and two auxiliary services departments.   They noted the progress of youth development projects under the commission, including the Youth Start-up Internship Programme launched by the Home Affairs Bureau and the Cyberport Management Company on a pilot basis.
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