The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (May 15) the May 2018 issue of the "Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics" (HKMDS).

     Apart from providing up-to-date statistics, this issue also contains two feature articles entitled "Container Statistics, 2012 to 2017" and "The Four Key Industries and Other Selected Industries in the Hong Kong Economy".

"Container Statistics, 2012 to 2017"

     Although the container throughput decreased from 23.12 million TEUs in 2012 to 20.77 million TEUs in 2017, the port of Hong Kong was still one of the busiest ports in the world. Laden container movements between Hong Kong and the mainland of China (the Mainland) accounted for 38.1% of the laden container throughput of the port of Hong Kong in 2017. About 73.0% of the laden container movements between Hong Kong and the Mainland were in the Pearl River Delta region.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please contact the Outward Processing and Shipping Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel: 2582 4889; email: shipping@censtatd.gov.hk).

"The Four Key Industries and Other Selected Industries in the Hong Kong Economy"

     The Government has been actively pursuing economic development in order to keep up the competitive advantage of Hong Kong. The traditional Four Key Industries in Hong Kong, namely financial services, tourism, trading and logistics, and professional and producer services, have been the driving force of Hong Kong's economic growth, providing impetus to growth of other sectors and creating employment. In addition, selected emerging industries, including cultural and creative industries, medical services, education services, innovation and technology, testing and certification services, and environmental industries, have also been identified as enjoying advantages for further development.

     This feature article analyses the economic contribution and employment situation in respect of the Four Key Industries and selected emerging industries in 2016.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please contact the National Income Branch, C&SD (Tel: 3903 7002; email: gdp-p@censtatd.gov.hk).

     Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing about 140 tables. It collects up-to-date statistical series on various aspects of the social and economic situation of Hong Kong. Topics include population; labour; external trade; National Income and Balance of Payments; prices; business performance; energy; housing and property; government accounts, finance and insurance; and transport, communications and tourism. For selected key statistical items, over 20 charts depicting the annual trend in the past decade and quarterly or monthly trend in the recent two years are also available. Users can download the Digest free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp460.jsp?productCode=B1010002).

     Enquiries about the contents of the Digest can be directed to the Statistical Information Services Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4738; email: gen-enquiry@censtatd.gov.hk).

     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.