â€‹The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, will lead a delegation to visit London, the United Kingdom (UK), departing tonight (January 7) to learn more about genomic medicine in the country and meet with healthcare professionals there.

     During her three-day visit in the UK, Professor Chan and her delegation will meet with the senior management of Genomics England, which is a company wholly owned by the UK Department of Health and Social Care to deliver the 100,000 Genomes Project. The delegation will also visit Guy's Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital to understand the genetic and genomic services and the hospitals' roles in the 100,000 Genomes Project. The delegation will also meet with representatives from Genetic Alliance UK, which is a patient organisation involved in the 100,000 Genomes Project, and Cancer Research UK, a charity supporting research in cancer.
      
     Before returning to Hong Kong on January 10 (UK time), the delegation will visit the Wellcome Genome Campus in Hinxton and meet with professionals who are involved in various stages of the 100,000 Genomes Project.
      
     "Genomic medicine is an important sphere in contemporary medicine and scientific research, with huge potential in screening, diagnosis and clinical application, as well as precision medicine," Professor Chan said.
      
     "The Chief Executive has accepted the Steering Committee on Genomic Medicine's recommendation to conduct a large-scale genome sequencing project (the Hong Kong Genomic Project) in Hong Kong in order to enhance the clinical application of genomic medicine.
      
     "We will take the opportunity to learn from genomic experts in the UK in planning forward the Hong Kong Genomic Project."
      
     The delegation will also include the Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health), Ms Elizabeth Tse, and representatives from the Food and Health Bureau, the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority.
      
     Professor Chan will arrive in Hong Kong on January 11. The Under Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Chui Tak-yi, will be the Acting Secretary for Food and Health during her absence.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (January 7) that some leisure and sports facilities will be temporarily closed to tie in with the 2018/19 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Hong Kong which will be staged at the Hong Kong Velodrome (HKV) in Sai Kung District between January 25 and 27. Details are as follows:

(a) All facilities (including the Leisure Link booking office) of the HKV will be temporarily closed from January 18 to 29; and

(b) The activity rooms and table tennis tables at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground will be temporarily closed from January 21 to 28 for use as athlete rest rooms and for storage of related materials. Other facilities will remain open as usual.

     During the closure periods, members of the public may use similar facilities at Hang Hau Sports Centre, Tseung Kwan O Sports Centre, Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre, Tsui Lam Sports Centre and Po Lam Sports Centre in the same district.

     Police today (January 7) appealed to the public for information on a girl who went missing in Tseung Kwan O.

     Yao Tsz-yan, aged 13, went missing after she left her residence on Tong Ming Street on January 3 afternoon. Her family made a report to Police on the next day (January 4).

     She is about 1.53 metres tall, 40 kilograms in weight and of thin build. She has a pointed face with yellow complexion and long straight black hair. She was last seen wearing a blue denim jacket, a black long-sleeved sweater with hood, black trousers and black sports shoes.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing girl or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Kowloon East on 3661 0316 or 9886 0060 or email to rmpu-ke-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.
     

  

     Following is the speech by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, at the opening session of the Asian Licensing Conference held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre this morning (January 7):

Mr Cai (Associate Inspector of the Department of Cultural and Tourism Industries of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr Cai Jiacheng), Margaret (Executive Director of Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Ms Margaret Fong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good morning. It gives me great pleasure to join you all today at the opening of the Asian Licensing Conference (ALC). First of all, I would like to extend my warmest welcome to all participants, especially guests and speakers from the Mainland and abroad, for taking part in this important event for the licensing industry. And, of course, a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to every one of you!

     Launched in 2012, the ALC is now the largest annual event of its kind in Asia, offering a dedicated platform for licensing industry players to expand their business network and explore new room for cross-sector collaboration in the region. We are most encouraged to note that over 1 200 professionals from the licensing and intellectual property (IP) trading sectors worldwide will attend the two-day event this year. This testifies to the international significance of the ALC, as well as the key role played by Hong Kong as a nexus for the burgeoning licensing market in Asia.

     The ALC is a signature event of the Hong Kong International Licensing Show, which is being held concurrently with the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair and the Hong Kong Baby Products Fair, both of which have close ties with licensing. That explains why I will speak again in a moment to celebrate the joint opening of these three important events this year. You are most welcome to visit all of these three events. I am sure that they will give you much inspiration on how best to make use of the tremendous business opportunities in the licensing sector.

     Licensing is one of the most dynamic forms of IP trading which enables more flexible and diversified use of IP rights, thereby unleashing fully their economic value. The creativity of international licensing agents and licensees can often turn a popular cartoon figure or a trendy graphic into a wide range of merchandise products ranging from clothing, stationeries, houseware to games. E-sports, which has much to do with the skilful application of licences and IPs of games and leagues, is a new spotlight for licensing business and will be covered by one of the thematic sessions of the Conference.

     Licensing business is thriving in Asia, which sees an impressive growth of almost six per cent in the sales of licensed merchandise in 2017. Mainland China is a powerful engine behind. Indeed, within Asia, the Mainland and Hong Kong are the only two economies which recorded a double-digit growth rate in the year. Going forward, the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area development will open the door to more unprecedented opportunities for licensing and related businesses across Asia and beyond.

     As an international commercial and trading hub, Hong Kong is always an ideal place for any business venture to tap the enormous opportunities ahead. We are one of the major hosts to a highly developed licensing business and one of the leading markets in the region, buttressed by a vibrant creative sector which accounts for 2.4 per cent of our GDP in 2016. 

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance and provides a wide array of support to the development of the creative industries of Hong Kong. We believe that these emerging industries will help nurture more home-grown creations to enrich our pool of IPs for licensing activities. We look forward to working closely with players of the relevant sectors with a view to consolidating Hong Kong's status as the hub for licensing businesses in Asia.

     On this inspiring note, let me thank the Hong Kong Trade Development Council warmly again for organising the ALC. I also wish the Conference another year of great success, all participants a most stimulating and fruitful experience, and all overseas delegates a most pleasant and rewarding stay in Hong Kong. Thank you.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rate of medical wards in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.