Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, met the Finance Minister of Malaysia, Mr Lim Guan Eng, at the Chief Executive’s Office this afternoon (September 13).

     Welcoming Mr Lim’s visit to Hong Kong, Mrs Lam said she was pleased to meet with him with both of them in different capacities since they met in Hong Kong in 2015, when she was the Chief Secretary for Administration and Mr Lim was the Chief Minister of Penang. She noted that Malaysia is an important member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is Hong Kong’s second largest trading partner. She said she believes that after the Free Trade Agreement and the related Investment Agreement signed last year come into force early next year, co-operation between the two sides will be enhanced. Attaching great importance to the relationship with the ASEAN, she said she has already visited five ASEAN member states since she took office about a year ago and looks forward to visiting Malaysia in the future.

     Mrs Lam said that Hong Kong and Malaysia can explore more collaboration and exchanges in various areas including education and finance. She added that, with Hong Kong’s quality education and renowned universities, the Hong Kong Scholarship for “Belt and Road” Students (Malaysia) launched by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government at the end of 2016 has attracted 20 outstanding Malaysian students to pursue undergraduate studies in the city. She expressed the hope that more Malaysian students will come to Hong Kong to study and engage in research work. Noting that Hong Kong’s financial sector is also striving for internationalisation, she said she welcomes enterprises from different countries or regions, including Malaysia, to list in Hong Kong to leverage Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre to develop their businesses.

     Mrs Lam said the HKSAR Government organises large-scale international conferences with different themes every year, including the Asian Financial Forum and the Belt and Road Summit, inviting global political and economic leaders to participate. She said Mr Lim is most welcome to attend these conferences in Hong Kong in the future.

  

     In response to the approach of Super Typhoon Mangkhut, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) today (September 13) announced that the HAD has issued letters to property management associations appealing to all property management companies and residents to take precautions against the tropical cyclone. The District Offices have also contacted District Council members, village representatives, rural committees, owners’ corporations, owners’ committees, mutual aid committees and resident liaison ambassadors, to seek their assistance in reminding residents to pay attention to the latest information on the tropical cyclone from the Hong Kong Observatory and take precautionary measures.
                
     The HAD’s emergency hotline (2835 1473) will be activated to handle public enquiries on the tropical cyclone after Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 is issued. A total of 48 temporary shelters operated by the District Offices will be open for people in need after Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is issued. Please refer to the annex for details.
                
     The District Offices will pay close attention to black spots and low-lying areas which may have serious flooding, and will take precautionary measures with the Drainage Services Department. The District Offices have contacted village representatives in some flood prone areas for early alert and support on precautionary measures. In particular, the Kwun Tong District Office and the Islands District Office have contacted the resident representatives and village representatives of Lei Yue Mun, Tai O and some outlying islands to seek their assistance in appealing to residents to move to a safe place or temporary shelters. Residents are also reminded to take precautions against the tropical cyclone. Staff of these two District Offices will visit residents together with volunteers tomorrow (September 14) and make further appeals.
                
     In addition, the Islands District Office will arrange for coaches to transport residents in Tai O to nearby temporary shelters this Saturday (September 15), and will provide appropriate assistance to residents. read more

     Hongkong Post announced today (September 13) that if Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above is issued or in force on September 17 (Monday) and affects the normal business hours (wholly or partially) of the post off… read more

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, today (September 13) visited Huizhou to meet its senior government officials and call at local enterprises to keep abreast of the latest developments in the technology industry.
      
     In the morning, accompanied by the Deputy Mayor of Huizhou, Mr Yu Jinfu, Mr Chan visited two Hong Kong enterprises to learn about their successful experience in developing new technologies and promoting the development of advanced manufacturing. He also exchanged views with the management on the opportunities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The two enterprises specialise in alloy die casting and plastic mould injection, and manufacturing of cover glass for mobile phones and watches.

     This afternoon, after paying a visit to a company manufacturing artificial intelligence and Internet of Things products, Mr Chan headed to Huizhou’s West Lake to gain a better understanding of the local authority’s effort in protecting the natural environment through the use of advanced technology.
      
     Mr Chan said that Hong Kong and Huizhou have long held close ties. He expressed the hope that both cities can enhance collaboration in various industries in the future to seize opportunities brought about by the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
      
     Noting that the Bay Area houses many leading innovation and technology (I&T) enterprises and that Hong Kong boasts world-class financial services and scientific research capabilities, he pointed out that Hong Kong can complement other cities in the Bay Area in building an international I&T hub that draws talents, research and development institutes and enterprises.
      
     Mr Chan returned to Hong Kong in the evening after attending a dinner with the Mayor of Huizhou, Mr Liu Ji.

        

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, today (September 13) visited Sai Kung District, where he toured facilities for the elderly and people with disabilities (PWDs) and met with District Council members. The Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Caspar Tsui, also joined the visit.

     Accompanied by the Chairman of the Sai Kung District Council (SKDC), Mr George Ng; the District Officer (Sai Kung), Mr David Chiu; and the District Social Welfare Officer (Wong Tai Sin/Sai Kung), Ms Micy Lui, Dr Law first called at the Haven of Hope Tsui Lam Day Training Centre for the Elderly of Haven of Hope Christian Service in Tseung Kwan O to get an update on the operations of the Pilot Scheme on Community Care Service Voucher for the Elderly. The centre offers sensory training for elderly users to help slow down their cognitive deterioration. Apart from providing nursing care and rehabilitation services to elderly persons, nurses and social workers there also provide counselling and emotional support for their carers and family members to relieve their pressure in taking care of elderly persons.

     The Government will provide an additional 1 000 service vouchers under the Second Phase of the Scheme to a total of 6 000 next month to enhance support for elderly persons with moderate or severe impairment to enable their ageing in the community. The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has invited eligible elderly persons to submit applications. Elderly persons or their family members may contact the Centralised Team of the Scheme on 3107 3013 for enquiries.

     Dr Law and the other officers then proceeded to the Direction Association for the Handicapped in Tiu Keng Leng. The Association has been providing multifaceted support to  physically handicapped persons and their family members, including visits by outreach social workers, wheelchair repair and rehabilitative equipment lending services. Dr Law paid tribute to the Association for setting up social enterprises to create employment opportunities for PWDs. He said he was particularly impressed by its Adversity Quotient Training Program launched in recent years with funding under the SWD’s “Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities through Small Enterprise” Project. Through sharing of its members’ inspiring stories, the training programme is designed to train able-bodied corporate employees to overcome adversities in the workplace.

     Dr Law said that the Government has enhanced initiatives to promote the employment of PWDs, including strengthening post-placement follow-up services in vocational rehabilitation service units as well as increasing subsidies provided to employers of PWDs. He appealed to enterprises to hire PWDs for them to unleash their potential and contribute to the community.

     After the visit, Dr Law attended a meeting arranged by the SKDC to exchange views with SKDC members on various labour and welfare policy issues as well as matters of local concern.