The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, and the Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, Mr Chen Rugui, co-chaired the Hong Kong/Shenzhen Co-operation Meeting in Shenzhen today (April 2). In the meeting, both sides reviewed the achievements made since the last Hong Kong/Shenzhen Co-operation Meeting and set out the directions for co-operation in the coming year. 
 
     Mr Cheung said, "With the concerted efforts of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, good progress has been made on various areas of co-operation. Looking ahead, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and Shenzhen will deepen co-operation through participating in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which is a key national development strategy. The essence of the development of the Greater Bay Area is the commitment of putting things in action and implementation. We will steadfastly take forward initiatives as set out in the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area that are pertaining to Hong Kong and Shenzhen co-operation and see through their effective implementation. The goal is to develop the Greater Bay Area into an international innovation and technology hub and an international first-class bay area ideal for living, working and travelling."
 
     In respect of individual areas of co-operation, the progress made and directions for future co-operation are outlined below. 
 
Innovation and Technology
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     Hong Kong and Shenzhen have been co-operating closely on innovation and technology (I&T). Both sides are actively developing the Lok Ma Chau Loop into the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park. The Park is one of the key innovation platforms in developing an international I&T hub under the Greater Bay Area development strategy. Situated on an 87-hectare site, the Park will be the biggest I&T platform in Hong Kong's history. Leveraging on Hong Kong's strengths in internationalisation and scientific research, as well as Shenzhen's strengths in I&T and commercialisation, the Park will certainly be able to contribute significant support to I&T development in the Greater Bay Area. It is expected that the first batch of land parcels will be made available by 2021 or earlier for superstructure construction by the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited. The HKSAR Government also supports enhanced co-operation between the Park and the adjacent Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Zone, in an effort to establish a cohesive and synergistic Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Co-operation Zone, create an internationalised business environment conducive to innovation in the technology industry, and achieve the convenient and effective flow of innovation elements. Both sides will continue to leverage their respective advantages to further promote and strengthen the two places' co-operation in innovation and technology.
 
Financial Services
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     On cross-boundary Renminbi business, there are 29 banks in Shenzhen that offer joint e-Cheque clearing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen which allow their customers to deposit e-Cheques issued by Hong Kong banks through the online portal. On promoting further co-operation in Hong Kong and Shenzhen securities markets, the daily quota of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect has been quadrupled since May last year. It further promotes the two-way cross-boundary flows of capital.
 
     The HKSAR Government and financial regulators are working closely with the Mainland authorities to study and implement financial co-operation initiatives in the Greater Bay Area, especially those facilitation measures relating to people's livelihood, and have attained initial progress on this front. In the coming year, we will continue to explore a host of financial facilitation measures relating to individuals, enterprises and financial institutions, with a view to promoting the efficient flow of capital in the Greater Bay Area.
 
Professional Services
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     For construction and related engineering sectors, the number of Qianhai pilot projects adopting Hong Kong construction management systems has been increased from two to six. Among them, five pilot projects have already commenced and are in good progress. The HKSAR Government hopes that the Qianhai Management Authority will continue to increase the number of pilot projects.
 
     For legal services, 11 partnership associations between Hong Kong and Mainland law firms have been set up and seven of these are set up in Qianhai. In December last year, the Greater Bay Area Research Base on Establishment of Rule of Law of the Ministry of Justice was launched in Shenzhen, aiming to create a high-end legal think tank in the Greater Bay Area. The HKSAR Government will continue to encourage the legal services sectors of both places to enhance co-operation in order to achieve greater synergy.
 
Youth Co-operation
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       On youth co-operation, the Chief Executive announced in her 2018 Policy Address that the Government would make an injection to the Youth Development Fund (YDF) to further support youth innovation and entrepreneurship. In this connection, the Home Affairs Bureau has collaborated with the Hong Kong United Youth Association (HKUYA) since the end of 2018 for the HKUYA to utilise its own resources to roll out a pilot scheme to encourage Hong Kong youth entrepreneurs to settle in three youth innovation and entrepreneurial bases in Shenzhen. Making reference to the experience obtained from the pilot scheme, the Youth Development Commission launched in March this year two new funding schemes under the YDF, namely the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Funding Scheme for Experiential Programmes at Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In the future, both parties will strengthen co-operation, jointly encourage Hong Kong young people to start their business in Shenzhen, provide them with more development opportunities, and support and encourage them to participate in the development of the Greater Bay Area. It is anticipated that with support from the HKSAR and Guangdong governments, an Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Innovative and Entrepreneurial Bases in the Greater Bay Area will be established within 2020, with a view to providing a one-stop information, publicity and exchange platform that is premised upon non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and youth innovation and entrepreneurial bases in the Greater Bay Area.
 
     Moreover, the HKSAR Government continues to subsidise NGOs to provide exchange and internship opportunities in the Mainland for Hong Kong young people through the Funding Scheme for Youth Internship in the Mainland and the Funding Scheme for Youth Exchange in the Mainland. In 2018/19, around 450 and 1 500 Hong Kong young people participated in internship and exchange programmes in Shenzhen under the two funding schemes respectively.
 
Qianhai Development
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     In the past year, the Qianhai Management Authority has continued to vigorously promote the participation of Hong Kong people and enterprises in the development of Qianhai. Since the beginning of its land sale in 2013, sites capable of providing a total gross floor area of about 2.94 million square metres have been sold to Hong Kong-invested enterprises. As at the end of February 2019, over 11 000 Hong Kong-invested enterprises have registered in the Qianhai and Shekou Area of the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone. The target of attracting 10 000 Hong Kong-invested enterprises to set up bases there has been accomplished earlier than planned. The HKSAR Government will dovetail with the Shenzhen authorities to put forward the "Ten Thousand, Thousand, Hundred and Ten" development target by 2020 as set out in the "Work Plan on Promoting Shenzhen-Hong Kong Co-operation in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone in Qianhai", with a view to expanding the space for development for Hong Kong people and enterprises.
 
Cross-boundary Infrastructure
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     The Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point (BCP) project is in progress. The new land port will link eastern Hong Kong with eastern Shenzhen, such as Longgang District. By then, the anticipated average travelling time between Tai Po in Hong Kong and Longgang in Shenzhen would be reduced from about 53 minutes to about 31 minutes, facilitating smooth and efficient people and cargo flows across the boundary and enhancing the "one-hour living circle" in the Greater Bay Area, which are of strategic importance to Hong Kong's long-term economic development. The HKSAR Government is striving to complete the construction of the new BCP this year for early commissioning of the new BCP.
 
Other Areas
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     Apart from the above, Hong Kong and Shenzhen have also made steady progress in other areas of co-operation such as tourism, education, creative industries, environmental protection, livelihood, culture and medical services.
 
     Officials accompanying the Chief Secretary for Administration in attending the meeting included the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip; the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang; the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah; the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan; the Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Andy Chan; the Under Secretary for Transport and Housing, Dr Raymond So Wai-man; and other representatives of the relevant bureaux.

      

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (April 2) investigating a case of invasive meningococcal infection, a communicable disease transmitted by direct contact with droplets from carriers or infected persons.

     The case involves a 48-year-old man with good past health, who had presented with fever since March 25. He attended the Outpatient Department of Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital on March 30 and was admitted for treatment on the same day. His clinical diagnosis was meningococcaemia. The patient is now in a stable condition.     
 
     His blood specimen tested positive for Neisseria meningitidis upon laboratory testing.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had travelled to Vietnam during the incubation period. His travel companion has remained asymptomatic so far. The patient had also been to Shenzhen alone during the incubation period. The CHP's investigation is continuing.

     "Meningococcal infection is caused by a bacterium known as meningococcus. It is mainly transmitted by direct contact through respiratory secretions, including droplets from the nose and throat, from infected persons. The incubation period varies from two to 10 days, and is commonly three or four days," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     The clinical picture may vary. Severe illness may result when the bacteria invade the bloodstream (meningococcaemia) or the membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord (meningococcal meningitis).

     Meningococcaemia is characterised by sudden onset of fever, intense headache, purpura, shock and even death in severe cases. Meningococcal meningitis is characterised by high fever, severe headache and stiff neck followed by drowsiness, vomiting, fear of bright light, or a rash. It can cause brain damage or even death. The brain damage may lead to intellectual impairment, mental retardation, hearing loss and electrolyte imbalance. Invasive meningococcal infections can be complicated by arthritis, inflammation of the heart muscle, inflammation of the posterior chamber of the eye or chest infection.

     Meningococcal infection is a serious illness. Patients should be treated promptly with antibiotics.

     To prevent meningococcal infection, members of the public are advised to take heed of the following measures:
 

• Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly, especially when they are dirtied by respiratory secretions, e.g. after sneezing, and clean hands with alcohol-based handrub when they are not visibly soiled;
• Cover the nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing, hold the spit with a tissue, dispose of nasal and mouth discharges in a lidded rubbish bin, and wash hands immediately;
• Avoid crowded places;
• Avoid close contact with patients who have fever or severe headache;
• Travellers to high-risk areas may consult doctors for meningococcal vaccination; and
• Travellers returning from high-risk areas should seek medical advice if they become ill and should discuss their recent travel history with their doctor.

    
     The public may visit the CHP's website for more information on meningococcal infection.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (April 2) reminded the public that special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in So Kon Po and Causeway Bay from this Friday (April 5) to Sunday (April 7), to facilitate the holding of rugby matches at Hong Kong Stadium.
 
     The special traffic and transport arrangements mainly include:
 
* From about 7.30am on April 5, and from about 7am on April 6 and 7, the section of Caroline Hill Road northbound between Leighton Road and Cotton Path, and parts of Hysan Avenue westbound, will be closed;
 
* From about 7.40pm on April 5, and from about 6.30pm on April 6 and 7, Caroline Hill Road, Eastern Hospital Road, Eastern Hospital Road service road, Cotton Path, parts of Tung Lo Wan Road northbound, Link Road and Hoi Ping Road will be closed to facilitate the dispersal of spectators until the crowd disperses and road closures are lifted;
 
* During the road closure periods, Citybus routes 5B, 37A, 75, 90 and 97, New World First Bus route 8H, cross harbour routes 601, 678, 680, 680A, 680B, 680P, 936 and 936A, green minibus routes 14M, 26 and 30, and residents' service route HR51 will be temporarily diverted;
 
* Free shuttle bus services will be operated from Hong Kong Stadium to Central and MTR Admiralty Station daily after the event. Cross-harbour bus route 117R will be operated from Hong Kong Stadium to Mong Kok after the event on April 6 and 7; and
 
* On-street parking spaces and car parks within the road closure areas will be suspended.
 
     The TD anticipates that the traffic in the vicinity of So Kon Po and Causeway Bay will be very congested. Motorists are advised to avoid driving to the affected areas. In case of traffic congestion, they should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of the Police. Depending on the actual traffic conditions in the areas, other ad-hoc traffic and transport measures, including road closures, traffic diversion, alteration and suspension of public transport services may be implemented by the Police. Members of the public who plan to go to the affected areas are advised to plan their routes early, allow more travelling time to cater for unexpected delay, and use public transport services as far as possible.
 
     The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures whenever necessary. Members of the public are advised to be alert to the latest traffic news broadcast via radio and television.
 
     Details of the special traffic and transport arrangements are now available on the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk). For enquiries, please call 1823.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (April 2) investigating a case of severe paediatric influenza A infection.

     The case involves a 7-year-old girl with underlying illnesses, who has presented with cough and runny nose since March 27. She attended the Accident and Emergency Department at Queen Mary Hospital for medical attention on March 29 and was admitted for management. She was transferred to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of the hospital yesterday for further management.
 
     Her respiratory specimen tested positive for influenza A virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza A infection complicated with severe pneumonia. She is now in a serious condition.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had no travel history during the incubation period. Her parents, elder brother and domestic helper developed upper respiratory tract infection symptoms recently and have sought medical attention. They have been in a stable condition and no hospitalisation is required.
 
     The CHP's investigations are ongoing.
  
     "The latest surveillance data showed that the local influenza activity has further decreased to a level approaching the baseline. We urge the community to continue heightening its vigilance against seasonal influenza. As young children are particularly affected in this influenza season, we appeal to parents who have not yet arranged vaccination for their children in this season to do so as soon as possible to strengthen their personal protection," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     Apart from children, people aged 50 to 64 years, the elderly and those with underlying illnesses who have not yet received influenza vaccination this season are also urged to get vaccinated as early as possible to prevent seasonal influenza as it takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop in the body after vaccination. Medical advice should be sought promptly if influenza-like symptoms develop so that appropriate treatment can be initiated as early as possible to prevent potential complications. Parents and carers are reminded to render assistance in prevention, care and control for vulnerable people.

     Besides receiving seasonal influenza vaccination as early as possible for personal protection, the public should maintain good personal and environmental hygiene for protection against influenza and other respiratory illnesses. For more information, please visit the CHP's influenza page and weekly Flu Express.

     In response to the sections on Hong Kong as set out in the 2019 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report issued by the United States Trade Representative last Friday (March 29), a Government spokesman made the following remarks today (April 2):

     The NTE Report made an inaccurate statement about Hong Kong due to its misinterpretation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) requirement for Members to submit Checklist of Issues replies to the WTO Committee on Customs Valuation. Our Economic and Trade Offices in Washington and Geneva immediately followed up with the relevant US authorities on April 1 to convey our concerns over the inaccurate information and clarify that Hong Kong has, since 1996, fulfilled its notification obligations under the WTO Customs Valuation Agreement.

     In point of fact, Hong Kong is a free port and does not impose any customs duties on imported goods. We therefore do not have any laws, regulations or administrative procedures for valuing goods for customs duties purposes. In accordance with the relevant WTO agreement, Hong Kong has duly made the relevant notifications to the WTO in 1996. As there has been no change to our policy since, there is simply no need for Hong Kong to submit further notifications to the WTO or reply to the Checklist of Issues which concerns individual WTO Members' valuation systems for the collection of customs duties.

     As a founding member and staunch supporter of the WTO, Hong Kong takes its obligations and rights seriously. We also attach great importance to fulfilling the notification requirements under all WTO Agreements and maintain a good track record of submitting timely notifications to the WTO.

     On the other hand, we acknowledge the positive remarks made in the NTE Report on Hong Kong's efforts in the protection of intellectual protection rights (IPR). The Report recognises Hong Kong's robust IPR protection and enforcement, our dedicated and effective enforcement capacity, our judicial system that supports enforcement efforts with deterrent fines and criminal sentences, and our youth education programmes that discourage IPR-infringing activities.

     The NTE Report mentioned the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's unsuccessful attempts to update our copyright system. That the two amendment bills we introduced in 2011 and 2014 to reform the copyright regime had not been approved by the Legislative Council reflects the controversial nature of copyright issues, where it is difficult to achieve a meeting of minds between the copyright owners and users. That has not deterred our efforts to enhance our copyright regime as appropriate to meet international standards. Our recent proposals to amend the Copyright Ordinance to enhance the copyright exceptions for persons with a print disability, so as to meet the standards under the Marrakesh Treaty, is a testimony to our determination and efforts. On the enforcement front, the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) will continue to take rigorous enforcement actions against online piracy, so as to protect the legitimate interests of copyright owners.

     As to the issue of counterfeit products mentioned in the NTE Report, as any law enforcement agency could readily testify, combating effectively the transnational flow of such products requires the joint and close collaboration of various stakeholders and different jurisdictions. In this regard, the C&ED has signed memoranda of co-operation with major courier operators to strengthen co-operation with the express courier industry to intercept infringing shipments. The C&ED will also continue to enhance its co-operation with IP enforcement authorities in other jurisdictions, including the US, in combating the transnational flow of infringing goods.