The Hong Kong authorities will implement a fixed-penalty system for smoking offenses, Secretary for Food and Health York Chow said Wednesday.

The government plans to designate public transport interchanges as statutory no-smoking areas, he added.

Chow told lawmakers that after the expansion of no-smoking areas, some smokers have been seen to gather around certain spots on streets close to no-smoking areas.

"We are now evaluating the situation, as well as collecting information and conducting research on the matter," Chow said.

The government will gauge public opinion and draw reference from the experience and measures taken by other countries in tackling the problem of smokers clustering and smoking in the vicinity of no-smoking areas.

He said the government will closely monitor the implementation of the tobacco control policy as well as the community's expectation and acceptance of its tobacco control measures.

The government will take into account public expectations when considering the need to further expand statutory no-smoking areas or adopt other tobacco-control measures to safeguard public health, Chow said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 6, 2009)