HONG KONG – Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the authorities have taken measures to ensure safety at the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens and to determine the cause of the deaths of eight animals there as another monkey died on Monday morning.

Addressing the media ahead of the Executive Council meeting, Lee said the government had to “first contain and then control the problem to stop its spreading” after eight monkeys were found dead at the zoo on Sunday.

On Monday morning, a white-faced saki that had shown unusual movement responses and appetite also died, according to a Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau statement.

A De Brazza’s Monkey that showed unusual behavior is under close observation, the bureau added.

Lee stressed experts had already started the investigation into the death, including toxicological analysis and necropsy, to find out the cause in a targeted manner.

“Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung chaired an interdepartmental meeting on Monday and listened to the briefing from the Department of Health, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD),” Lee said.

Pointing out that the government had to continue to monitor the situation, apart from cleaning and disinfection, he said it will ensure the safety of the park’s staff members with protective gears.

“The LCSD will coordinate the matter and the authorities will announce any update soon to keep the public informed,” the CE added.

The mammals section of the zoo was closed from Monday for disinfection and cleaning as the health condition of all 80 animals in the park remained normal.

Staff members were also required to keep a close watch on their health condition. As of Monday night, no staff member has reported any illness.

Amendments under the CEPA

At the same briefing, Lee expressed his gratitude to the central government for its support over the recent amendments to the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA).

The Ministry of Commerce and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government last Wednesday signed an agreement, which will come into effect in March 1, 2025, to further liberalize and enhance cooperation in trade in services.

“It is a golden era of closer cooperation between the mainland and the HKSAR. The city’s enterprises and professionals will have a better access to the mainland market,” the CE said.

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Highlighting the benefits for the SAR’s enterprises, Lee emphasized that the new agreement will cancel the requirement that companies from most industries must have been operating for three years before they can enjoy CEPA benefits.

“As long as overseas companies set up companies in Hong Kong, they can enjoy preferential treatment to enter the mainland market, allowing the city to become their first choice to set up their bases,” he stressed.

National Day Golden Week

Asked about his views on the city’s performance during the Golden Week of the National Day holiday, the CE said he was glad to see the enjoyment shared by residents and tourists.

“Hong Kong has welcomed approximately 1.22 million mainland tourists, with an average of about 170,000 arrivals each day, a rise of 27 percent compared with the same period last year and 13 percent higher than this year’s May Day Golden Week,” he pointed out.

Citing the figures from relevant organizations in the catering industry, he reported that there was a turnover of about HK$2 billion, an increase of 5 percent year-on-year.

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“The government will review the whole arrangement to make it an even bigger success,” he added.