Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, today (November 30, Buenos Aires time) attended the Group of Twenty (G20) Leaders’ Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as part of the delegation of the People’s Republic of China.

     Under the theme of “Building consensus for fair and sustainable development”, the Summit focuses on key issues such as the future of work, infrastructure for development and a sustainable food future.

     Mr Chan attended different meetings on an array of topics, including multilateral trade, financial and tax systems, as well as sustainable development.

     Yesterday (November 29, Buenos Aires time)before the Summit, Mr Chan met with the Deputy Finance Minister of the Russian Federation, Mr Sergey Storchak and briefed him on the latest development of Hong Kong’s financial services. Both sides agreed to continue with the negotiation on signing an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement. Mr Chan also called on the State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Finance of Germany, Mr Wolfgang Schmidt, to exchange views on global economic outlook.

     Tomorrow (December 1, Buenos Aires time), Mr Chan will continue to take part in the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

     Mr Chan will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon of December 3 (Hong Kong time).

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     Hongkong Post announced today (December 1) that the latest posting date of Christmas mail for local delivery before Christmas Day is December 20 (Thursday). Mail posted after this date might run the risk of not being delivered in time because of anticipated seasonal work pressure. Members of the public are advised to post mail as early as possible in order to avoid a last-minute rush.
 
     During the Christmas holidays (December 25 and 26), there will be no mail delivery. All post offices will be closed except for the General Post Office and the Airport Post Office. The business hours of the two offices will be from noon to 5pm and 8am to 5pm respectively. General postal services will be provided. Details of services available will be advertised at the respective post offices. One mail collection will be made for the posting boxes of the General Post Office and the Airport Post Office. 
 
     To ensure that greetings sent by air mail are delivered before Christmas, members of the public are reminded to post their mail on or before the latest dates of posting. A complete list of the latest dates of posting for this year’s Christmas mail by air is displayed at all post offices. Customers may also find the information on Hongkong Post’s website at www.hongkongpost.hk or contact the Hongkong Post enquiry Hotline at 2921 2222. read more

     Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales from 7am to 12.30pm today (December 1). They are, on Hong Kong Island, the Hong Kong Joint Council of Parents of the Mentally Handicapped; in Kowloon, RainLily; and in the New Territories, Against Child Abuse Limited, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.

     Arrangements have been made with the charities to help people distinguish between the three flag-selling activities.

     Information on the three flag-selling organisations on December 1 is as follows:
 

Region	Name of Organisation	Colour of Collection Bag	Colour of Flag
Hong Kong Island	The Hong Kong Joint Council of Parents of the Mentally Handicapped	Yellow	Purple and White
Kowloon	RainLily	Dark Purple	Blue
New Territories	Against Child Abuse Limited	Red	Yellow

     For enquiries, please call the SWD’s hotline at 2343 2255, or the Charitable Fund-raising Control Team at 2832 4311 during office hours. Information on the flag days of the month is available at the SWD’s website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_whatsnew/). Permits for flag days containing contact information of the flag-selling organisations and information on the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD’s website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_controlofc/sub_recentlyap/). For enquiries about the detailed flag-selling arrangements, please contact the individual flag-selling organisations.

     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities covered by the Public Subscription Permit issued by the SWD have also been uploaded to the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/fundraising).

     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added. read more

     Hong Kong has become the ideal hub for companies to develop financial technologies (fintech) and seize the opportunities arising from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as an attractive place for international talents to flourish, the Deputy Representative of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels), Miss Fiona Chau, told a group of leading Dutch entrepreneurs on November 29 (Wassenaar time).
 
     Miss Chau was speaking at the end-of-year seminar organised by HKETO, Brussels in partnership with Invest Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Netherlands Hong Kong Business Association held in Wassenaar near The Hague, the Netherlands. The seminar focused on developments and opportunities in the fields of fintech, financial services, logistics for fashion and Dutch seafood in Hong Kong, the gateway to the dynamic Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
     
     “Hong Kong is indeed an ideal centre for developing fintech. After all, Hong Kong is one of the world’s leading financial centres, ranking third worldwide in the latest Global Financial Centres Index covering 110 cities, just behind London and New York City,” Miss Chau said.
 
     Miss Chau added that with the concerted efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government as a facilitator, financial regulators such as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, emerging and innovative sectors and industry players, Hong Kong’s fintech ecology is thriving. Cyberport, which houses over 300 fintech start-ups involved in blockchain, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, big data, wealth management and transaction engineering, is now one of the leading fintech hubs in Asia. 
 
     Asked about Hong Kong’s advantages for Dutch entrepreneurs compared to other locations in the region, Miss Chau underlined that Hong Kong enjoys unique and unparalleled advantages as Mainland China’s premier global financial centre, a transportation and logistics hub, and a major city for trade and commerce. She emphasised that Hong Kong’s close proximity and its unique status under the “one country, two systems” principle allow it to have first-mover advantage to grasp the vast business opportunities arising from the rapid economic advances of Mainland China, including the development of the Greater Bay Area.

     “Hong Kong has already attracted a variety of overseas innovation and technology institutes, and a number of these see Hong Kong as a hub for the Greater Bay Area. We encourage Dutch companies and institutions to come to Hong Kong to take advantage of the exciting opportunities in the region,” Miss Chau said.

     Miss Chau noted that attracting talents is essential to support Hong Kong’s development as a high-value-added and diversified economy. Hong Kong’s first Talent List, promulgated in August and created to attract talented professionals from around the world, focuses on 11 professions including fintech as well as cyber-security and other aspects of innovation and technology. Miss Chau further elaborated that a vibrant mix of local, Mainland and overseas talents can keep Hong Kong’s fintech ecology connected to the latest ideas and developments of the global fintech landscape and be most conducive to having the next big fintech innovations in Hong Kong.

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     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the Grand Opening of French International School Tseung Kwan O Campus this afternoon (November 30):
 
Minister Lemoyne (Minister of State attached to the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne), Ambassdor Ripert (Ambassador of France to China, Mr Jean-Maurice Ripert), Consul General Giorgini (Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, Mr Alexandre Giorgini), Mr Tran (Headmaster of French International School, Mr David Tran), ladies and gentlemen, and dear students,
 
     Good evening. It is a great pleasure to join you today for the inauguration ceremony of French International School’s Tseung Kwan O campus – its fourth and largest campus in Hong Kong.
 
     I’m particularly pleased to welcome Minister Lemoyne to Hong Kong, whose presence has underscored the importance of this outstanding new education centre and Hong Kong-France relations. I last met Mr Lemoyne in France in June, when we witnessed the delivery of three new helicopters by Airbus to our Government Flying Service. I’m pleased to note that three more helicopters are expected to arrive from France in the next few days.
 
     My Government is committed to developing a dynamic international school sector to meet the demand from our large and growing expatriate community, including of course the French community.  It’s why we support the development of international schools in a variety of ways, including the offering of vacant school premises and greenfield sites at low cost through the School Allocation Exercise. As a matter of fact, the site for this campus was allocated through the School Allocation Exercise in 2014.  In the same exercise, we allocated sites to the Shrewsbury International School also here in Tseung Kwan O, which I opened last month, and the Malvern International School, which I will open in March next year.  But I would say this is the best site of the three sites, so congratulations! Together with more than 50 other international schools, Hong Kong is home to the largest international school sector in Asia.
 
     The French International School has much to be proud of. The school’s Tseung Kwan O students, who will number more than 1 100 next year, have much to look forward to. It is because this new campus is absolutely stunning, and in so many ways – from the open-plan learning spaces to the lavish gardens and the sustainable approach to its construction and design.
 
     I’m pleased to note, as well, that the campus’ modern sports facilities and well-equipped auditorium will benefit members of the wider community as well as students.  The campus will make its facilities available for hiring to outside organisations. That’s in keeping with government policy to encourage collaboration between schools and the community.
 
     The campus provides a unique multicultural learning experience for students of 40 nationalities through its French, English and IB curricula. I have no doubt that the new campus will continue in the fine tradition of excellence French International School has achieved from its beginnings here in 1963 as one of our first international schools.
 
     My congratulations to French International School on the opening of your new Tseung Kwan O campus. I’m grateful to the governing board, supervisor, principal and teachers for their passionate dedication to education. As for the lucky students, I know you will enjoy this extraordinary school and the rewarding learning experience it would give you.
 
     Thank you.

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