The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Asia and Pacific Regional Cybersecurity Symposium 2018, jointly organised by the ICAO, the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) and the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA), opened at the CAD Headquarters today (May 15). Hong Kong is the first city to host such symposium for the Asia/Pacific Region after a resolution relating to cybersecurity was adopted in 2016 by the ICAO Assembly.

     Some 180 participants, comprising cybersecurity experts and aviation industry representatives from the ICAO and its members, as well as overseas and local organisations, are meeting to evaluate the cyber threats faced by the aviation industry, and to exchange the latest information, technologies and implementation experiences in cybersecurity.

     The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Simon Li; the Chief Executive Officer of the AA, Mr Fred Lam, and the ICAO Asia and Pacific Regional Office's senior officer responsible for air traffic management and communications, navigation and surveillance, Mr Li Peng, officiated at the opening ceremony.

     Mr Simon Li, in his welcoming speech said, "The accelerated adoption of information and communication technology systems in the aviation sector, coupled with the increased digital connectivity between various systems, could create potential vulnerabilities if the connectivity platform is not duly secured. Robust cybersecurity is increasingly important in order to sustain aviation growth and avoid any disruption to our air transport system."

     He added that, pursuant to the ICAO Assembly Resolution of 2016, which called for co-ordinated actions by aviation regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders to mitigate the risks of cyber threats, the Symposium today is well-timed for cybersecurity stakeholders to share knowledge and experience in this subject.

     Guest speakers shared with participants their insights on various important cybersecurity topics, including cyber threats and risks to air traffic management, challenges to smart airports, and innovative technologies and solutions adopted by the aviation industry to tackle cyber threats.

        

     The Government announced today (May 15) the following senior appointments:
 
(a) Mr Clement Leung Cheuk-man, Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Communications and Creative Industries) on June 12, 2018;
 
(b) Miss Eliza Lee Man-ching, Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Communications and Creative Industries), will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism) on June 12, 2018; and
 
(c) Mr Eddie Mak Tak-wai, Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service, will take up the post of Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA on July 3, 2018.
 
     Commenting on these appointments, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, said, "The three appointees are seasoned Administrative Officers with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that they will serve the community with professionalism in their new capacities."
                    
     Brief biographical notes of the three officers are set out below:
 
Mr Clement Leung Cheuk-man
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     Mr Leung joined the Administrative Service in July 1987 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2012. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Chief Secretary's Office, the Post Office, the former Government House, the former Security Branch, the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, the former Education and Manpower Bureau and the Trade and Industry Department. He was Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury) from April 2007 to October 2010 and Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene from November 2010 to January 2014, and has served as Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA since February 2014.
 
Miss Eliza Lee Man-ching
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     Miss Lee joined the Administrative Service in August 1988 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2012. She has served in a diverse range of bureaux and departments, including the former Royal Hong Kong Police Force, the former Chief Secretary's Office, the Correctional Services Department, the former Recreation and Culture Branch, the former Transport Branch, the former Trade Department, the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, the former Health, Welfare and Food Bureau and the Labour and Welfare Bureau. She was Director-General of Telecommunications from May 2010 to March 2012 and Director-General of Communications from April 2012 to August 2017, and has served as Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Communications and Creative Industries) since August 2017.
 
Mr Eddie Mak Tak-wai
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     Mr Mak joined the Administrative Service in August 1991 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2014. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Chief Secretary's Office, the former New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office, the former Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau and the Civil Service Bureau. He was Director-General, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Washington from September 2006 to August 2010 and Deputy Postmaster General from August 2010 to August 2012, and has served as Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service since August 2012.

      

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

　　The Hospital Authority (HA) today (May 15) submitted to the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) the applications of five non-locally trained doctors for limited registration to serve in public hospitals. Among the five applications, two are new applications while the other three are for renewal.
 
　　The HA spokesperson said public hospitals have been facing doctor manpower shortage and workload issues in various clinical units. The recruitment of non-locally trained doctors has been supported by the respective co-ordinating committees and endorsed by the HA Task Force on Limited Registration Scheme.
 
　　"With the Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 2017 passing on March 28, 2018 the period of limited registration has been changed from not exceeding one year to not exceeding three years. Along with the contract term of up to three years offered by the HA since 2017, it may help reduce the uncertainty on working arrangement and hence attract more non-locally trained doctors to Hong Kong to relieve the manpower situation in the public healthcare system," the spokesperson said.
 
　　The two new applications for limited registration submitted to the MCHK today are in cardiothoracic surgery and emergency medicine respectively. Regarding the renewal applications for three non-locally trained doctors (one in emergency medicine, one in family medicine and one in radiology), their one-year limited registration will expire in the third quarter of 2018.
 
　　Currently, there are 14 non-local doctors working in public hospitals as service residents under limited registration in the specialties of anaesthesia, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine and radiology to help relieve manpower pressure in the respective units.

     In response to media enquiries on actions to combat the use of private cars or light goods vehicles (LGVs) for illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward, a spokesman for the Transport Department (TD) today (May 15) gave the following reply:
      
     The Government has been paying close attention to the use of private cars or LGVs for illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward (commonly known as "pak pai" service) and will tackle such offences by taking stringent enforcement actions. The TD has been in close liaison with the Police and will refer suspected cases to the Police for follow-up actions.
      
     Subsections (3), (5) and (10)(a) of section 52 and Schedule 4 of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap 374) stipulate that an offender who uses a private car or LGV for the illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward, or who solicits or attempts to solicit any person to travel in such vehicles, is liable to a fine of $5,000 and three months' imprisonment on the first conviction. The licence of the subject vehicle may also be suspended for three months. On the second or subsequent conviction, the person is liable to a fine of $10,000 and six months' imprisonment. For a subsequent offence in respect of the same motor vehicle, the licence of that vehicle may be suspended for six months.
      
     As regards a recent case in which a driver provided carriage service through the "Uber" mobile application and was fined $3,000 by the court for illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward, the TD has received the notification from the Police about the conviction and already delivered a notice of intention to suspend the licence of the motor vehicle to the registered owner pursuant to section 90 of the Road Traffic Ordinance.
      
     The TD will proceed to arrange suspension of the vehicle licence in accordance with the relevant legislative requirements and direct the registered owner to deliver the motor vehicle into the custody of the department until the expiry of the suspension period.
      
     The TD will continue to support the Police for their enforcement actions in combating illegal carriage of passengers. From 2015 to the first quarter of 2018, a total of 41 vehicles have been impounded by the TD with the vehicle licences suspended due to convictions for the offence of illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward.

     Hong Kong Customs seized a batch of suspected dangerous drugs weighing about 18 kilograms in total, as well as a batch of drug inhalation apparatus and packaging materials, with an estimated market value of about $1.9 million at Hong Kong International Airport and Central on May 12 and yesterday (May 14) respectively.

     Customs officers inspected an air mail parcel arriving from Lithuania on May 12 and found about 10kg of suspected gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) inside a batch of plastic bottles.

     After follow-up investigation, Customs officers yesterday arrested two men, aged 30 and 54, suspected to be in connection with the case in Central. Customs officers further seized about 3kg of suspected GBL and about 3kg of suspected methamphetamine, as well as some suspected cocaine, cannabis resin, cannabis buds, ketamine and ecstasy weighing about 2kg in total, at a residential premises in Central where some drug inhalation apparatus and packaging materials were also seized.

     Investigation is ongoing.
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     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

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