Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-raising ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 8am today (July 13) will be cancelled.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 12) that a consignment of 16 tins of milk powder from Tochigi Prefecture, Japan was illegally imported into Hong Kong, breaching the relevant import ban order. None of the products concerned have entered the market. The CFS is following up on the case.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: アイクレオ�フォローアップミルク
Product brand: Glico
Place of origin: Tochigi Prefecture, Japan
Packing: 820 grams per tin
Expiry date: August 27, 2019

     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS inspected a consignment of tinned milk powder (16 tins in total) imported from Japan and found that they were from Tochigi Prefecture, which is under an import ban, instead of Hyogo Prefecture as shown on the packing list. Milk powder from Tochigi Prefecture is currently prohibited to be imported into Hong Kong. The CFS’ investigation confirmed that the products concerned have not entered the market and they are marked and sealed by the CFS. The Centre has taken samples of the products concerned for testing of radiation levels and no radiation has been detected.

     "Importers will have to wait till the CFS has conducted radiation tests on every consignment of products imported from Japan before selling them. The aforementioned illegal import was detected by the CFS during its inspection. The products concerned have not entered the market. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the CFS' gate-keeping work."

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action, including informing the Japanese authorities of the incident. Prosecution will be instituted against the importer concerned should there be sufficient evidence. Investigation is ongoing.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the Chief Executive's Question and Answer Session this morning (July 12):

Dr Hon Pierre Chan: Good morning. The Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health commissioned Hong Kong Baptist University to carry out laboratory tests on 13 e-cigarettes from October 2015 to February 2016. The tests found that the e-cigarettes contain harmful chemicals, which are associated with thyroid hormone disruption, reduction of fertility and affect foetal development. In addition, the Food and Health Bureau commissioned a survey of primary and secondary school students between November 2016 and last June, which found 29 380 teenagers had tried e-cigarettes, with 2 770 still using them. Among primary 4 to 6 pupils, 2 340 had tried vaping. Worryingly, e-cigarette advertising is directed mainly at young people. In recent years, we have also seen a huge increase in the number of people using emerging products, like heat-not-burn tobacco, as a substitute to conventional e-cigarettes. Do you have the resolve to follow the example of Macao and Singapore to enact a total ban on e-cigarettes?

Chief Executive: Thank you, Mr President. Well, first of all, let me assure Dr Chan that we agree with the medical profession that e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products, including these heat-not-burn products, they release toxic substances and are harmful to health. So, we don't have any difference as far as health protection is concerned, and that's why the Food and Health Bureau is proposing to strengthen regulation such that these products are being regulated, at least on par with the conventional cigarettes for the protection of public health. Right now, the Secretary for Food and Health is consulting the sector, listening to various views, and we hope to take into account these views and introduce amendments to the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance in the coming legislative session. But as far as a complete ban is concerned, Hong Kong does have to recognise her trade obligations in an international environment, because if conventional cigarettes are even more harmful, but they are allowed to be sold in Hong Kong under certain regulation, to go into a total ban of another form of tobacco product which is less harmful medically would raise many challenges, so we have to really strike a balance. But, as I said right now, the Secretary for Food and Health is consulting so you are welcome and all of you are welcome to provide us with your views and opinions on this subject.
 
Dr Hon Pierre Chan: The "less harmful" wording is wrong, there is no such thing-less harmful. It is harmful. And what are the factors and hurdles considered by the Government in not making such a decision of the banning? Does tobacco industry's interests outweigh public health and public interests?
 
Chief Executive: Definitely not. Definitely not. I have already mentioned the obligation under the global trade environment that we have to take into account. We certainly will not subject ourselves to any lobbying from the tobacco industry.
 
The Hon Claudia Mo: Talking of decency in this Legislative Council, really. Now, Liu Xia never committed one crime, but then she was found guilty by association because she is the wife and then the widow of Liu Xiaobo, China's Nobel Peace winner. She was persecuted. We all knew it. She was put under house arrest and went through all kinds of ordeals, and her persistent plight had prompted calls from the international community for her release, including Germany of course. She was finally released as an obvious political pawn, a diplomatic favour. Now, after all the outrages perpetrated, the hostage was released and our Mrs Carrie Lam had the cheek to actually call it, and I quote, "an expression of humanitarianism", unquote. Why did you make that statement on behalf of Hong Kong people, and exactly how and what do you mean?
 
Chief Executive: I meant what I said. Because you are very good at English, you should know that that particular phrase has no object, has no subject. So this is just a description of what I have seen. It is an act of humanitarianism.
 
The Hon Claudia Mo: … bandying with words.
 
Chief Executive: Well, I have nothing more to add. Mr President.
 
The Hon Claudia Mo: Not too long ago, Carrie Lam told the Financial Times of London that she wouldn't mind being called a Beijing shoe-shiner. Are you indeed a Beijing groveler?
 
Chief Executive: In her usual style Ms Mo has taken that comment out of context. I was asked in that Financial Times interview, could I name one leader of the world that I admired. I said yes, even running the risk of being accused of shoe-shining President Xi, I said President Xi Jinping is one of the world leaders, or is the world leader, that I respected and admired most.

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

     Hong Kong has all it takes to be the key partner for those who want to navigate the Belt and Road, the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney, Mr Raymond Fan, said on Tuesday (July 10).

     Mr Fan was speaking at a conference entitled "One Belt One Road in Australia – Everything you need to know" hosted by the Australia China Business Council from July 10 to 12 at the Darwin Convention Centre in Darwin, Australia. The three-day conference brought together more than 30 high-level speakers and panellists from Australia, Mainland China and Hong Kong to explore the valuable business opportunities and networks under the Belt and Road Initiative. The conference, comprising plenary sessions and breakout sessions as well as site and project visits, attracted around 200 attendees.

     Mr Fan was invited as one of the keynote speakers. Other keynote speakers included the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Mr Michael Gunner; the Chinese Ambassador to Australia, Mr Cheng Jingye; the representative of the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Warren Snowdon; the Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the China Chamber of International Commerce, Mr Yin Zonghua; the Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce, Mr Li Zhonghang; former Australian ambassador to China Dr Geoff Raby; and the President of the Australia China Business Council, Mr John Brumby.

     Speaking at the conference, Mr Fan said Hong Kong is strategically located in the heart of Asia, just five hours' flying time from half of the world's population and connecting closely to the countries and economies along the Belt and Road.

     "In addition to physical connectivity, we also enjoy superb cyber connectivity. Hong Kong is among the world's top five for the fastest Internet connection speeds. Our mobile penetration rate and household broadband penetration rate are among the highest in the world," he said.

     Mr Fan pointed out the five P's that reflect Hong Kong's strengths: policy, positioning, professional services, projects and partnering.

     "In regard to policy, Hong Kong entered into a collaborative and co-operative arrangement with the National Development and Reform Commission of China on the Belt and Road Initiative on December 14, 2017," he said. 

     "For positioning, Hong Kong enjoys unique advantages under the 'one country, two systems' arrangement, which provides international businesses including Australian businesses with exceptional access through Hong Kong into the markets along the Belt and Road."

     Mr Fan said Hong Kong's world-class professionals in financial services, engineering, architecture, urban planning, surveying and consulting have the vast experience and knowledge to lead and implement the Belt and Road projects.

     "With an independent judiciary as well as a very robust intellectual property rights protection regime, Hong Kong is also the perfect hub for the Belt and Road's legal matters and for resolving business disputes.

     "Hong Kong stands ready to be your key platform for navigating the Belt and Road," Mr Fan said.

     The Head of Investment Promotion, Sydney Office of Invest Hong Kong, Dr Luca de Leonardis, also spoke on the developing Belt and Road projects in Hong Kong for various sectors and the project models.

    

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 12) that Mui Wo Swimming Pool in Islands District has been temporarily closed for cleaning and superchlorination following the discovery of a small amount of vomit in the pool.

     It will be reopened at 7.30pm today.

     The department appeals to swimmers to be considerate and to keep the swimming pools clean. They are advised not to swim after a full meal and should use the toilet facilities if necessary before swimming.