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     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting this morning (November 20):
 
Reporter: Mrs Lam, will the Government consider and review the current rule so that gatherings won’t only be limited to Sundays or public holidays in the civic square. And also a second question, in light of the drop in ranking on the world talent ranking, what is the Government going to do specifically to make sure that it will not continue to drop?
 
Chief Executive: Let me just recap that the re-opening of the East Wing Forecourt of the Central Government Offices was a decision made by me upon taking office last July. That reflects my intention and my sincerity to allow members of the public to come into the Forecourt to express their views on government policies or other social matters. But since this is a government property and there are a lot of things happening in this building, we have to strike a balance in ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of the government offices at the same time. So we have devised a scheme and introduced certain guidelines. Now, in the light of the court judgment on the judicial review case, first thing we will do is the relevant departments together with the Department of Justice will carefully study the judgment and then decide on the next step. The second thing is I have already asked the Director of Administration to revisit those guidelines and mechanism to see whether there are ways, in light of the experience in the last year, that we could change or relax some of the requirements. As soon as we have a decision, we will let the public know.
 
     As far as talent ranking, I’m not too worried about this drop in the ranking because there are a lot of factors in international rankings of this nature and I have yet to find out the so-called cut-off date of the information as a basis for the ranking, because it might capture a situation a year ago, so it will not have reflected the extensive investment we have made in education in this term of the Government. In response to your enquiry on what sort of specific measures, actually we have rolled out quite a few of these specific measures already. One is to continue to invest. You have heard me saying this many times that spending in education is the best investment that the Government could make, because it would nurture talents to meet the needs of the economy in future. So, we will continue to invest in education.
      
     Secondly, we will have to review the existing arrangements to achieve quality education. On the eight areas that I have asked for review, I think only two or three have finished. Review on curriculum and maybe on teachers’ career development are still ongoing. I’ll certainly carefully study the recommendations coming out from this review.

     Thirdly is to provide students with more opportunities to learn beyond the classroom because in order to be a more creative and innovative talent, you really need to have that sort of broad exposure. So we are spending a lot and doing a lot on promoting what we call “life-wide learning” among students. We are providing internships and exchanges, both with the Mainland and overseas, in order to broaden students’ horizon, especially in STEM education. We’ll continue to roll out those measures and evaluate their effectiveness. If they are not sufficiently effective, then certainly my government will do more.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)  read more

     Dance Day, an annual dance carnival presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will be held at Tsuen Wan Town Hall and Tsuen Wan Park from 1pm to 5pm on December 2 (Sunday). The event is admission free and members of the public are invited to participate.
 
     The event will showcase different generations of local dance artists, who will be joined by professional and amateur dance groups and social organisations, in a wide variety of dance performances of different genres. With “Collaboration” as the theme, this year’s Dance Day aims at encouraging people to work closely with one another to break down barriers, so that participants can enjoy a new experience together. Local dance artist Andy Wong is the Dance Day Event Advisor.
 
     Entertaining programmes include a variety of dance genres, one-minute flash dance, site-specific dance, an improvisation area, workshops and exhibitions. There will also be a “U Can Dance!” free dancing zone, where everyone is invited to join in and enjoy the fun of dancing, and a new dance theatre entitled “2018 Community Cultural Ambassador Scheme – ‘Dance Bao Shan'”. Dancers Huang Ju and Liu Heung-man will depict a story with dance to reveal the relationship between “da jiu” and everyday life, culture and society with the aim of passing on this local intangible cultural heritage.
 
     Dance artists and groups at Dance Day include R&T (Rhythm & Tempo), Unlock Dancing Plaza, Y-Space, Muse Motion, the Hong Kong Ballet Group, the Association of Hong Kong Dance Organizations, Hong Kong Dance Federation, School of Dance, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Tsuen Wan Culture and Recreation Co-ordinating Association, Hugh Cho and TS Crew, DanceArt Hong Kong, Fun Forest, St James’ Settlement Rehabilitation Services Dancing Heart Troupe, PassoverDance, Studiodanz and DancingAngels.
 
     The LCSD has been holding Dance Day since 2009 with the aim of promoting dance art to the public while at the same time providing a platform for local dance artists and small and medium-sized dance groups to perform. Previous Dance Days were held in Tsuen Wan, Yuen Long, Central and Western District, Sha Tin and Tuen Mun. All received an overwhelming public response, effectively raising public interest – especially among the young generation – towards various forms of dance.
 
     For more details on the Dance Day, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/dance/programs_689.html or call 2268 7323. read more

     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference today (November 20):

Secretary-General Dato’ Lim (Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Dato’ Lim Jock Hoi), Lord Mountevans (Vice Chairman of Maritime UK and Chairman of Maritime London), Margaret (Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Ms Margaret Fong), ladies and gentlemen,

     Good morning. It’s a pleasure to be here for the opening of the 2018 Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference. It is, I’m pleased to say, the fourth year in a row I’ve spoken at this conference. I am always keen to come not only because you represent one of Hong Kong’s and the world’s most vital sectors, but also because there is always a good turnout. This year, more than 2 000 high-profile logistics users and providers from over 30 countries and regions have joined us. I welcome you all to Hong Kong, one of the world’s preeminent logistics and maritime centres.

     In the global business of logistics, connections are critical. The more connections your logistics sector has, the more complex and interrelated they are, the more effective it will be. In that regard, Hong Kong is truly blessed. Thanks to “one country, two systems”, we enjoy ever deeper transport and logistics connections to Mainland China and to the opportunities therein. Thanks to that same system, we also continue to build our ties with the world.

     Together, those singular connections make Hong Kong excel in the global business of logistics. They make our partners excel, too. Consider this morning’s keynote speaker, the Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ASEAN, as a group, is our second-largest trading partner. We signed a free trade agreement and related investment agreement one year ago this month, which will begin to take effect in January next year and will surely boost our trade, our investment and our overall connectivity. I am sure the Secretary-General will agree with me when I say that relations between ASEAN and Hong Kong have never been better, never more promising than they are now.

     The agreements show that Hong Kong and the 10 member states of ASEAN believe in free trade, and in the mutual rewards trade and logistics can bring to our economies, our companies and our peoples. As we all know, free trade is taking something of a thrashing these days, given the rising undercurrent of unilateralism and protectionism. Let me assure you, ladies and gentlemen, that for Hong Kong, the primacy of free trade is immutable. I am pleased to say that we have successfully concluded free trade agreement negotiations with Australia just a few days ago.

     It’s thanks to free enterprise and our ability to adapt to the changing market that has made Hong Kong one of the world’s leading trading economies, and a leading international financial and logistics centre. Indeed, trading and logistics is one of our four pillar industries. It contributes 22 per cent of our GDP and accounts for some 19 per cent of Hong Kong’s total employment. Our trade value amounts to more than three times our GDP, standing today at about US$1,060 billion.

     Hong Kong’s local market may be modest, but our ability to serve and create markets, to trade in goods and services with the world, is inexhaustible. For that, we can thank our formidable foundation for international trade. I’m talking about world-class infrastructure, superb connectivity, an unbeatable location at the heart of Asia and the gateway to the Mainland. I’m talking about our institutional strengths, as well as an abundance of talent in a wide range of professional services and business sectors.

     Our foundation is buoyed by our expanding investment in infrastructure and transport networks. These connect Hong Kong with hundreds of destinations throughout Asia and around the world. Hong Kong today is home to one of the world’s busiest transshipment container ports. Serving about 320 liner ships a week, it’s linked to more than 470 ports worldwide. Last year, Hong Kong Port’s throughput stood at 20.8 million TEUs which accounts for 4 per cent of the throughput of Asia, up 5 per cent over the previous year. Our Shipping Register is the world’s fourth largest, with a gross tonnage of more than 120 million. In short, we will continue to be a key maritime player in the Asian region.

     We are a force to be reckoned with in the air as well. Our airport has been the world’s busiest in international air cargo for the past 22 years in a row, serving an ever-growing demand for high-value logistics in the Asia-Pacific region. Hong Kong enjoys Air Services Agreements with 67 countries. Our airport handles more than 1 100 flights daily to over 220 destinations, including some 50 Mainland destinations. Last year, we moved 5 million tonnes of cargo and air mail, and handled 73 million international passengers.

     To enhance capacity, we are building the third runway for our airport. Upon completion, the Hong Kong International Airport will be capable of handling 100 million passengers and 9 million tonnes of cargo annually. The third runway will be in operation by the end of 2022, while the entire three-runway system, including all upgraded facilities, is expected to commission by the end of 2024.

     The Hong Kong International Airport is located on Lantau, our biggest island which is now serving as a double gateway. Apart from connecting Hong Kong to the world through our airport, Lantau is also linking Hong Kong to other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which comprises Hong Kong, Macao and nine affluent cities in the Guangdong Province. Together, the Greater Bay Area has a population of 70 million and a combined GDP of US$1.5 trillion.

     Enhancing connectivity between Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area is a central policy commitment of my Government. The recent commissioning of the mega Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has given us a huge boost. The world’s longest combined sub-sea tunnel and bridge, a piece of world-class infrastructure, it has sharply cut travel time to the Mainland cities on the Pearl River’s west bank. For example, thanks to the new bridge, the journey between Hong Kong International Airport and Zhuhai, one of southern China’s fastest-growing cities, has been reduced from four hours to just 45 minutes. This will surely attract time-sensitive, high-value goods to the bridge and, from there, to the rest of the world through Hong Kong International Airport. Let me add that the time needed to travel from Zhuhai to our container port in Kwai Chung is also reduced from 3.5 hours to 75 minutes.

     Last month, my Government unveiled long-term plans to reinforce the role of Lantau. Among the planned developments is a Premium Logistics Centre, with a built-up space of some 380 000 square metres which will allow us to capture the opportunities presented by the fast-emerging retail revolution. The Centre, relying on robotics and automation, will be able to process 1.7 million tonnes of cargo a year when it opens in 2023.

     Challenges generally come hand in hand with opportunity. Today, developed economies, Hong Kong included, must contend with long-term labour shortages, a reflection of our ageing population. And then there’s e-commerce, its continuing growth fuelling an insatiable demand for faster and faster small-parcel shipments.

     Automation and AI (artificial intelligence) can meet these challenges. Indeed, robotics, automated ports and blockchain technology are transforming logistics, increasing handling capacity and expanding efficiency. Every one of us in the logistics industry in general must embrace these innovations.

     Innovative technology without innovative talent will surely fail to deliver on its outsized promise. That’s why, in 2014, we set up the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund. It offers a wide variety of training schemes, providing scholarships and other initiatives to boost talent intake in both sectors. More than 6 200 students and industry practitioners have benefitted from the Fund to date. To sustain the momentum, I announced in my Policy Address last month that the fund would receive an additional US$25 million.

     Our logistics connectivity extends to the industry services on offer. Hong Kong’s 800 shipping-related companies present a flotilla of maritime services. They include ship agency and management, broking and chartering, finance, marine insurance, and maritime legal and arbitration services. Many of the world’s logistics giants call Hong Kong home. They are joined by over 8 700 Mainland and overseas companies from various sectors which have established a presence in Hong Kong, among them over 1 500 are regional headquarters and some 2 400 are regional offices.

     The world is here because Hong Kong is Asia’s most connected city – the multilateral, multilayered business bridge linking Mainland and global opportunity. The logistics and maritime sector, like every other sector, industry and business, looks to Hong Kong to build a rewarding future. I encourage all of you to join us, to connect and excel right here in Asia’s world city.

     Ladies and gentlemen, I wish you the best of business at the Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference. And my thanks to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council for organising this year’s Conference, for once again demonstrating logistical excellence in action. Thank you very much.

    

     Hongkong Post announced today (November 20) that selected philatelic products issued by the postal administrations of the Mainland, Macao, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom will be put on sale at 38 phi… read more

     The Chief Secretary for Administration and Chairperson of the Commission on Poverty, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong; the Deputy Commissioner for Census and Statistics, Ms Marion Chan; and the Principal Economist of the Office of the Government Economist, Ms Reddy Ng, today (November 19) held a press conference to announce the analysis of the poverty situation in Hong Kong in 2017. Following is the transcript of remarks at the press conference:
       
Reporter: It seems that the number of children living in poverty has been decreasing in the past few years, but it’s increased slightly last year. Are there any specific reasons that you can think of that led to this increase? And also the Chief Secretary has talked about a lot of statistical limitations in the calculation of our poverty rate, but the fact is the rate has been increasing – it’s reached a nine-year high now. So isn’t that the strongest evidence to show that the Government’s policies in alleviating poverty have failed? Thank you.
 
Chief Secretary for Administration: First of all, I don’t think our policy has failed at all. If anything, in fact, if you look at the figures, look at elderly sector particularly, there is an obvious increase, an improvement, increase in the effectiveness of our measures. We’re now back to the 2003 level, which is very encouraging in fact.
 
     The other thing I want to be able to stress here is that poverty alleviation is a multi-pronged effort and the problem with our methodology, it’s constrained by the very fact that a lot of these non-recurrent government cash programmes like the Community Care Fund, a lot of these so-called one-off relief measures and all that, and also a lot of services including after-school care services, elderly care services, home care services are not counted at all. All these are money but the trouble is because of this methodology, the rigidity, the constraint, the parameter. But we’ve got to follow the international norm, that’s why all these are not reflected in the figures at all. But that does not mean that we should be complacent at all. The figures themselves tell us that we should continue to work hard, continue to step up our efforts on poverty alleviation, join hands with the community and also encourage those who are needy, eligible for the allowances, for example the Working Family Allowance to apply. I mentioned earlier on that we are now targeting ethnic minorities because of their lack of understanding, language barrier and all that – we want to reach out to them directly, proactively, so that they can have access. Once they have access, the figures will be improved, because it is reflected in the poverty figure generally. So we should step up our efforts, no doubt about it.
 
     As for children, the reason why it’s got a slight increase of 0.3 percentage points, it’s primarily they come from families, big families, big households, with just one breadwinner and living with one old family member, which will drag down the household income in the analysis. But if you look at what’s happening for children, basically, the number is not significant at all. It’s purely, I said that, the demographic structure we are facing, structural ageing community. Every year 60,000 Hong Kong residents enter to the senior citizens bracket, and also household size becomes smaller and smaller. All these really are posing a challenge in terms of statistical analysis. Thank you.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) 
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