The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, today (November 12) re-appointed the following persons as Council members of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra Limited for two years, until the conclusion of the company’s Annual General Meeting in 2020.

Mr Christopher Chung Shu-kun
Mr Bryant Lu Hing-yiu
Mr Wilfred Ng Sau-kei

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited on fraudulent website, which has been reported to the HKMA. Hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website for ease of reference by members of the public.
 
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the website concerned or has conducted any financial transactions through the website should contact the bank concerned using the contact information provided in the press release, and report to the Police or contact the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, at a media session after officiating at the launching ceremony of municipal solid waste (MSW) charging trial projects and the fourth batch of MSW charging community involvement projects this afternoon (November 12):

Reporter: Mr Wong, given the MSW charging will be introduced to the Legislative Council, do you think it is time to also review the waste reduction targets for 2022? The latest trend seems to suggest we are getting into the wrong way. Are we putting too much pressure on MSW charging to live up to that target?

Secretary for the Environment: The Government is promoting waste reduction in Hong Kong as a whole and there are various means to achieve the waste reduction target. Certainly among those issues, the municipal solid waste charging is one of the very important initiatives to drive behavioural change, thereby resulting in waste reduction. As shown in the pilot schemes and trial schemes, in different situations, from residential estates to commercial and non-commercial sectors, it can demonstrate the reduction of waste to a substantial amount and also to improve the recycling rate to a certain level. It is a good direction that we can ride on to get closer to the target as set out in the blueprint (Hong Kong: Blueprint for Sustainable Use of Resources 2013-2022) earlier.

Reporter: It might be in the right direction but will you achieve those targets?

Secretary for the Environment: The direction is the key concern. We would like to get closer and nearer to the target as set out in the blueprint.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     The Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang, and the Vice Mayor of Shenzhen Municipality, Mr Ai Xuefeng, co-chaired the fourth meeting of the Joint Task Force on the Development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (the Park) in the Loop in Hong Kong today (November 12).
 
     At the meeting, the two sides discussed the progress and future work plan for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited (HSITPL), as well as the works progress of supporting infrastructure in the Lok Ma Chau Loop and land disposal arrangements for the Park.
 
     Two task forces were set up under the Board of Directors of the HSITPL, overseeing the Master Planning Study and Business Model and Business Planning Study respectively. The two studies are expected to complete by the first half of 2019. Upon completion, the HSITPL will make reference to the findings and commence the next stage of work, such as finalising the master plan, conducting technical studies, formulating the business operation mechanism and promotion strategies.
 
     With regard to the supporting infrastructure works, the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) has already commenced the contract for the construction of the Advance Works of the Loop this June, and the contract for the consultancy on detailed design and site investigation of Main Works Package 1 commenced in September this year. It is expected that the first batch of land parcels will be made available by 2021 or earlier for superstructure construction by the HSITPL.
 
     The meeting endorsed the preliminary land disposal arrangements of the Loop, i.e. to grant the land to the HSITPL to take forward the development of the Park. As a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC), the HSITPL will regularly report to the Board of Directors of the HKSTPC on the development direction, progress and financial position of the Park.
 
     Other officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attending the meeting today included the Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Ms Annie Choi; and representatives from the Development Bureau, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, the Education Bureau, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Innovation and Technology Commission, the Lands Department and the CEDD.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session in Beijing this afternoon (November 12):
 
Reporter: Mrs Lam, this morning when President Xi talked about the irreplaceable role that Hong Kong played in the past and will still play in the future, what exactly do you think he was talking about? And does Hong Kong need Article 23 legislation or even a new Chief Secretary to achieve that?
 
Chief Executive: First of all, we have not touched on at all the two issues that you have raised. As far as President Xi's remark on the very important role of Hong Kong throughout the four decades of the country's reform and opening up, of course everybody in the delegation was very excited and very gratified that our contribution over the years has been fully recognised by the leaders, and I think this really covers a wide range of areas. It's not just in terms of bringing in more investment to the Mainland. It's also in terms of bringing new experience and professional expertise, in terms of city management and other issues, and more recently also in terms of higher education collaboration and science and technology. We have made that contribution, which is well recognised by the Central Authorities, and it is even more comforting to hear from President Xi that he is very assuring that we will continue to play that very significant role. So I have received very positive feedback during lunch that members of the delegation were all very encouraged by those very positive remarks.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)