For the second time, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) has hosted a booth at the Einstieg education fair in Munich, Germany, to promote studying in Hong Kong and the various talent admission schemes as well as the Talent List of Hong Kong. The fair was held under the patronage of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Federal Employment Agency and the Bavarian State Ministry for Education from November 23 to 24 (Munich time).
      
     On November 24, the Deputy Director of HKETO Berlin, Ms Alison Lo, gave a presentation introducing Hong Kong’s world-leading universities as well as scholarship opportunities and other benefits such as the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme that facilitates immigration to Hong Kong for young talents. She also highlighted the excellent research opportunities in Hong Kong supported by the HK$23 billion Research Endowment Fund and emphasised the value of academic freedom in the city.
      
     "Hong Kong is an international, modern and dynamic city with a thriving economy right in the heart of Asia where the East meets the West," Ms Lo said when presenting Hong Kong's advantages. "Hong Kong is home to some of the world's top 50 universities. We welcome young talents from around the world to study and work in our city," she added, making reference to the recently published Talent List of Hong Kong. The List currently comprises 11 professions and has been drawn up with a view to attracting outstanding talents from all over the world to take advantage of the abundant opportunities in the city.
      
     Hong Kong's high-quality study programmes are taught in English, and the universities have adopted international standards in curriculum design as well as quality assurance. Of the 21 local degree-awarding higher education institutions, three are ranked in the world's top 50 by the Quacquarelli Symonds University Rankings 2019 and three are ranked in Asia's top 10 by the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2018. To attract outstanding non-local students to study in Hong Kong, the Government offers several scholarship opportunities, including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Scholarship Fund and the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme.
      
     To experience Hong Kong first-hand, young people from Germany can also make use of the Working Holiday Scheme. Under the Scheme, young people from Germany between the ages of 18 and 30 can stay up to 12 months in Hong Kong and are allowed to take up short-term employment as well as enrol in study or training courses as an incidental part of their stay so as to acquire a better understanding of the cultural, economic and social developments. For more details about studying and living in Hong Kong, please visit studyinhongkong.edu.hk.
 
About HKETO Berlin
     
     HKETO Berlin is the official Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government representative in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.

    

     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the 20th Anniversary Reception of the International Chamber of Commerce – Hong Kong today (November 26):
 
Commissioner Xie Feng (Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), J P (Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce – Hong Kong, Mr Lee Jark-pui), ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good evening. I am pleased to join you tonight in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the International Chamber of Commerce – Hong Kong.
 
     From its very beginnings in December 1998, the Hong Kong representative body of the International Chamber of Commerce has played an instrumental role in promoting Hong Kong's advantages to the world. It has, as well, assisted the Hong Kong business community in expanding our presence in international commerce, while boosting our singular place as the business bridge between the Mainland of China and a world of opportunities.
 
     The results are certainly encouraging. At last count, more than 8 700 overseas and Mainland companies maintain an office in Hong Kong. Among them, 1 530 have chosen to set up regional headquarters here, representing an increase of 8 per cent over a year ago. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's ranking in World Bank's latest Doing Business Report has risen from the fifth to the fourth. That is testimony to Hong Kong's business-friendly environment, from our simple and competitive tax regime to the level playing field we offer all business, whatever they do and wherever they come from.
 
     No less important, business works best when government is small and the environment encouraging. Hong Kong, built on free enterprise, inspires business confidence. As J P has just noted, the Washington-based Heritage Foundation has named Hong Kong the freest economy in the world for the past 24 years in its annual Index of Economic Freedom report. In explaining our top ranking, the Heritage Foundation said of Hong Kong, and I quote, "an exceptionally competitive financial and business hub" with "little tolerance for corruption", adding that "a high degree of transparency enhances government integrity". I do like those words, and what they say about Hong Kong. And I'm determined that my Government will continue to live up to them.
 
     What makes Hong Kong unique is more than our business environment, as enabling as it may be. Our singular strength is the "one country, two systems" framework Hong Kong enjoys under the Basic Law. We will continue to take full advantage of this fundamental strength while at the same time play a more proactive role in functioning as a "facilitator" and a "promoter" and striving to expand our connections with the world.
 
     A little over a week ago, I attended this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and met with a number of leaders. It was my 11th overseas trip and the 12th country visited since I took office last July. All these trips have been fruitful, allowing us to tell the world about the successful implementation of "one country, two systems", to explore new markets and to raise Hong Kong's profile in the world.
 
     Less than two weeks ago, we concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement and a related investment agreement with Australia. That agreement and another with the Maldives which has also been concluded bring the number of free trade agreements we've signed or are about to sign to nine, involving 21 global economies. And in January next year, our free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, signed last November, will begin to take effect.
 
     Opportunities brought by "one country" are all but boundless, thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. This Greater Bay Area, encompassing Hong Kong, Macao and nine cities in Guangdong Province, will create an enormous regional economy, one boasting nearly 70 million people and a GDP worth US$1.5 trillion. The infrastructure connecting Hong Kong to the Greater Bay Area is world-class, with the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge last month and the commissioning of the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link in September.
 
     The Belt and Road Initiative, designed to boost connectivity between the Mainland of China and countries spanning three continents, also offers unparalleled opportunities for Hong Kong business. Our financial and professional services sector, in particular, stands to gain, given the overwhelming need for investment capital that big-ticket infrastructure development demands.
 
     We are also committed to promoting Hong Kong as an international dispute resolution centre for the Belt and Road, as I noted in my Policy Address in October. Our plans include developing a Belt and Road Dispute Resolution Centre, providing a wide range of services to resolve cross-border disputes. With that in mind, I wish to commend J P and his office for organising the first Asian ICC International Commercial Mediation Competition – Hong Kong, and doing so on the 10th anniversary of the ICC International Court of Arbitration – Asia Office, based right here in Hong Kong.
 
     The Competition, which involved university student teams from all over Asia, was organised in co-operation with our Department of Justice. Its youth focus will surely spotlight the promise of career opportunities in dispute resolution here. And I was delighted to know that the winning team came from our City University of Hong Kong.
 
     Ladies and gentlemen, it is through such innovative connections that Hong Kong will succeed and excel in this 21st century of opportunities. So once again, my congratulations to the International Chamber of Commerce – Hong Kong on its 20th anniversary. I wish the Chamber and its members the best of business in the next 20 years.
 
     Thank you very much.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     Further to endorsing a funding proposal earlier this month for implementing the remaining works under Phase III of the District Cooling System (DCS) at the Kai Tak Development, the Legislative Council (LegCo) Public Works Subcommittee visited the facilities of DCS today (November 26) to observe its operation.

     Members first visited the North DCS Plant to receive a briefing on the operation of DCS and the latest progress of the remaining works. Accompanied by representatives of the Environment Bureau and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, members then visited the control room, chillers and the associated equipment at the basement of the plant. Members also went to SKH Holy Cross Primary School at the Kai Tak Development to visit the school's DCS substation.

     Members participating in the visit included the Chairman of the Subcommittee, Dr Lo Wai-kwok; and members Mr Chu Hoi-dick, Mr Ho Kai-ming and Mr Gary Fan.

        

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will depart for Buenos Aires, Argentina, at around midnight on November 28 (Wednesday) to attend the Group of Twenty (G20) Leaders' Summit, which will be held on November 30 and December 1, as part of the delegation of the People's Republic of China.

     The Leaders' Summit is the most important annual event of the G20, the leading international forum for economic, financial and political co-operation. The Summit provides a forum for leaders of the world's major economies to discuss areas for co-operation. On the margins of the Summit, Mr Chan will take the opportunity to meet with other attendees of the meeting.

     Mr Chan will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon on December 3. In his absence, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, will act as the Financial Secretary.

     The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) mounted a two-week operation codenamed "Trans Mountain II" during the Singles' Day sales period in mid-November to step up enforcement action against the smuggling of prohibited and controlled items through postal and cargo channels.

     In the 14-day operation that started on November 12 and concluded yesterday (November 25), the C&ED detected a total of 82 cases with the arrest of three persons, resulting in a total seizure with an estimated value of about $9 million.

     On the anti-narcotics front, 16 dangerous drug cases were detected, resulting in the seizure of about 24 kilograms of suspected dangerous drugs with an estimated market value of about $5.7 million. In particular, about 10.2kg of methamphetamine (commonly known as "ice") and about 8.5kg of gamma-butyrolactone were seized at various control points.

     With regard to intellectual property protection, the C&ED detected 12 cases that led to the seizure of infringing products of various kinds with an estimated value of about $700,000.

     In the protection of revenue on dutiable goods, Customs officers seized about 570 000 suspected illicit cigarettes and about 30 litres of dutiable liquor with an estimated market value of about $2.2 million and duty potential of about $1.2 million.

     Customs officers also detected a suspected smuggling case of American ginseng, with an estimated seizure value of about $200,000. In the case, more than 97 kilograms of suspected American ginseng were seized from an inbound truck. A 47-year-old male driver was arrested for suspected importation of endangered species without an import licence.

     The C&ED will continue to step up enforcement actions at all control points during the Christmas and New Year holiday periods to combat cross-boundary smuggling and drug trafficking activities.

     "Hong Kong Customs adopts a zero-tolerance approach against cross-boundary smuggling activities. Apart from strengthening deployment and carrying out stringent enforcement actions during the festive holidays, Customs officers will be equally vigilant in combating smuggling activities through risk assessment and intelligence analysis in their routine operation," a spokesman for the C&ED reiterated.

     Online customers are reminded not to make purchases of prohibited or controlled items. Any import or export of the controlled items must be accompanied by a valid licence or permit issued by the relevant authorities. For details on import and export controls, they can visit the C&ED's website at www.customs.gov.hk.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug and smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182, or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).