Author Archives: hksar gov

     â€‹The Department of Health (DH), in collaboration with the Hospital Authority (HA), the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Hong Kong Association and the Hong Kong Committee for United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), today (July 30) held a celebration event for World Breastfeeding Week 2024 to promote breastfeeding in the community, and called on all sectors of society to come together in supporting and valuing breastfeeding.
      
     World Breastfeeding Week is observed annually between August 1 and 7. The theme of this year is “Closing the gap: Breastfeeding Support for All”, which aims to encourage people from different sectors to enhance collaboration in eliminating factors that hinder breastfeeding and support mothers in sustaining breastfeeding.
      
     Speaking at the event, the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, noted that the Government has been attaching importance to breastfeeding promotion and has been promoting breastfeeding through a multi-pronged strategy. Among these efforts, Baby-Friendly Health Facilities (including hospitals and Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs)) are important stakeholders, which provide professional support to breastfeeding mothers by offering appropriate information, knowledge and support from pregnancy to the post-partum period.
      
     The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative is a worldwide programme launched by the World Health Organization and the UNICEF, aiming to bring every baby the best start in life by creating an environment that supports breastfeeding. The Baby-Friendly Health Facility accreditation includes a set of assessment and accreditation plan that recognises the achievement of healthcare facilities in promoting, supporting and protecting breastfeeding.
      
     All eight public hospitals with obstetrics departments in Hong Kong have been accredited as Baby Friendly Hospitals (BFHs). Some private hospitals providing delivery services have also started the BFH accreditation process. Three MCHCs under the DH were accredited as Baby-Friendly MCHCs in 2019 and were revalidated in 2022. The DH has expedited the accreditation process for Baby-Friendly Health Facilities since last October. Five more MCHCs successfully obtained accreditation this year. Currently, there are eight Baby-Friendly MCHCs, while the remaining 20 MCHCs are undergoing the accreditation process. The eight Baby-Friendly MCHCs received accreditation certificates from the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Hong Kong Association at the celebration event for World Breastfeeding Week 2024.
      
     Dr Lee said that the Government will continue to strongly support the accreditation work of healthcare facilities and further enhance the professional support offered by them. The DH will organise a large-scale symposium this November and invite overseas and local experts to share their experiences and latest research statistics and analysis on enhancing professional support for breastfeeding mothers. Overseas and local healthcare facilities can also exchange their experiences and views on working out infant feeding policies. Moreover, the Government will set up a working group under the Committee on Promotion of Breastfeeding to enhance and reinforce breastfeeding friendly measures of hospitals with obstetrics department.
      
     In addition to the abovementioned measures, Dr Lee said that the HA will establish a breastmilk bank and formulate the related mechanism for breastmilk donation in 2025 to provide breastmilk for infants and young children who cannot be breastfed by their biological mothers, with a view to benefitting the premature and severely ill babies in need. Furthermore, aiming to provide a suitable and friendly environment for breastfeeding mothers to continue breastfeeding in the community and workplace, the Government has been making publicity efforts to encourage the implementation of the Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace policy and foster the establishment of Breastfeeding Friendly Premises in public places.
      
     With the start of World Breastfeeding Week 2024, a series of promotional activities will be launched by the DH, including displaying publicity materials in various districts, advocating breastfeeding through radio and newspapers, and using social media to provide accurate information to breastfeeding families.
      
     The Government will continue to encourage the community to further promote, protect and support breastfeeding with a view to creating a breastfeeding friendly environment and enhancing the sustainability of breastfeeding.
      
     Members of the public can visit the designated webpage of the Family Health Service of the DH for more information on World Breastfeeding Week 2024.

          

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at the Networking Reception of the Joint Legal Workshop – Success for Korean Business Growth in Hong Kong and Beyond co-organised by the Department of Justice, the Korean Ministry of Justice and Invest Hong Kong today (July 30):

Consul-General Yoo (Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Hong Kong, Mr Yoo Hyungcheol), Director Shin (Director of International Legal Advisory Division of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, Mr Shin Donghwan), Mr Charles Shin (Chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good evening. I am very delighted to join you here tonight as we celebrate a new and significant milestone in the relationship between Korea and Hong Kong.

     The Department of Justice of Hong Kong and the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea signed a Memorandum of Co-operation (MOU) on September 25, 2019. Today’s Joint Legal Workshop and Networking Reception is indeed the first joint event organised in Hong Kong since the signing of the MOU. I am very pleased that over 150 participants from the Korean business sector, and Hong Kong’s legal practitioners, take part in this event. I am sure that the workshop this afternoon has provided useful insights as to how Hong Kong’s legal and dispute resolution services can facilitate the establishment and development of Korean businesses not only in Hong Kong, but also beyond.

     Korea has always been a close partner of Hong Kong. The Consulate of Korea was established in Hong Kong 75 years ago back in 1949. At present – I am quoting the figures provided by the Consulate General – about 16 000 Koreans are active in different fields in Hong Kong. As at 2023, Hong Kong is home to 146 Korean companies, including 21 financial institutions. I just learnt from the Consul General that the number of companies should be much greater, instead of 146 which refers to fairly big companies only. Hong Kong is also an important entrepôt for trade between Korea and the Mainland, with trade between the two economies through Hong Kong amounted to HK$261.7 billion in 2023. There is no doubt that Hong Kong is not only, by itself, an important partner of Korea in different areas but also acts as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder” between Korea and the Mainland, in particular, the Greater Bay Area which encompasses nine cities in Guangdong plus Hong Kong and Macao, with a population of over 86 million and an estimated GDP of US$1.7 trillion.

     A very key reason for Hong Kong’s significant role just mentioned is its rule of law based on our legal system, which is the only common law jurisdiction within China safeguarded by the “one country, two systems” principle. Our common law system is marked by essential advantages and characteristics, such as an independent and trustworthy judicial system, business-friendly civil and commercial law, and an abundant supply of lawyers with rich international experience who can provide one-stop professional legal services on a wide spectrum of matters, from setting up of an office or business in Hong Kong to simple sale and purchase contracts or complex international commercial transactions in joint ventures, M&As (mergers and acquisitions), or IPO (initial public offerings) projects, etc.

     I am afraid that I cannot leave without mentioning the Paris Olympics. I wish to congratulate Korea on winning nine medals including five gold medals so far, and I hope Korea will win more. I am most impressed that Korea has captured its 10th consecutive gold medal in women’s archery team. On the other hand, we are, of course, very proud that Hong Kong has won two gold medals in fencing, and one bronze medal in swimming so far. What is most telling is that, apparently, Koreans are very good at using bows and arrows, whereas we are very good at using the swords. Bows and arrows, and swords, complement each other forming a perfect set of individual weaponry. I believe this serves as an excellent example suggesting that by combining our respective strengths, we can achieve great results together.

     Before I conclude, I wish to thank the Korean Consulate General and the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea for their support, without which today’s event would be impossible. I firmly believe today’s event is only the beginning of a new chapter of long and strong co-operation between Korea and Hong Kong. I definitely look forward to visiting Korea in the near future. Finally, I wish you all a very pleasant evening with a lot of wine and food. Thank you.

  

     â€‹A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said today (July 30) that the department recently noted coral bleaching in Hong Kong waters. The AFCD will keep monitoring the situation with experts and follow up as appropriate. 

     The spokesman said, “The AFCD received reports of coral bleaching in Hong Kong waters in mid-July and subsequently conducted surveys and investigations. Different levels of coral bleaching were found in some coral communities. According to water monitoring data taken by the AFCD in a coral community at Tung Ping Chau Marine Park, the average water temperature in the past month was about 2 degrees Celsius higher than the same period last year. It is believed that the symbiotic zooxanthellae could have been expelled from corals due to the rise in water temperature during the summer in Hong Kong, and this is associated with the cause of coral bleaching.” 

     The AFCD has liaised with coral experts of relevant local universities to discuss the coral bleaching situation in Hong Kong waters, and co-ordinated coral monitoring work, which involved sending staff from the AFCD and two universities to conduct fast surveys in major coral communities, in order to understand the overall situation of coral bleaching. The AFCD will continue to monitor and assess the health condition of the coral communities concerned and formulate follow-up measures depending on actual circumstances.

     The spokesman noted that coral communities are highly productive habitats and support a high diversity of marine life. According to records of the AFCD and past observations of experts, corals in Hong Kong are relatively resilient and will normally regain health and continue to grow when water temperatures in Hong Kong waters resume the normal level. Members of the public should avoid disturbing coral communities during water activities, such as reducing human disturbance to bleaching coral communities and not stepping on or touching corals during snorkelling or diving, in order to provide a healthy environment for corals. 

     The AFCD has been promoting a series of measures and programmes for the conservation of corals in Hong Kong, including the designation of marine parks and marine reserves, the organisation of education and publicity activities to enhance public understanding of the importance of coral communities, the annual Hong Kong Reef Check to monitor the status of coral communities in Hong Kong, and the study and implementation of mitigation measures to restore degraded coral communities.   

     The spokesman urged members of the public to report coral bleaching to the AFCD for follow-up through the department’s Coral Bleaching Sighting Report in Hong Kong system: www.jotform.com/form/200558542131447.

    

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, today (July 30) visited the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (AI Lab) and the new studios of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) in Kwun Tong to see the department’s new directions in the use of technology in television production, and to meet with the management and staff representatives.

     Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Clement Leung, Mrs Yeung first met the Director of Broadcasting, Mr Eddie Cheung, and other staff of the directorate, and was briefed on the latest work and programme production of the department. She also met with staff representatives of the department to hear their concerns and views.

     Mrs Yeung said that as a government department and a public broadcaster, RTHK has an important role to play in providing the public with diversified radio, television and new media services, enabling the public to understand the latest developments in our country and in Hong Kong. She encouraged RTHK to continue to make good use of technology, produce more quality programmes and tell the good stories of Hong Kong to the world.

     Mrs Yeung then visited the AI Lab, which was officially launched this month, where colleagues explained to her the latest applications of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in programme production and how RTHK is exploring its use in programme production. During the visit, production staff and interns demonstrated for her the use of AI software in various aspects, including restoring old footage, improving the quality and removing static noise from historical photos and videos, language translation, text-to-image or video generation, and clothing conversion.

     She also watched a demonstration by the production staff and an intern of a motion capture system, which uses AI to recognise different facial expressions and sensors to capture full body movements, and gloves to track finger movements connected to an unreal engine with high-performance computing to produce images of RTHK Television’s AI presenter, Aida. Earlier, RTHK used the system to produce a series of promotional clips for its Paris Olympics programmes, largely reducing production time to two hours for each clip. Mrs Yeung was pleased to learn that the system has given the production staff more room for creativity and improved work efficiency. 

     She then went to the new studio, which is equipped with a large digital video wall, and saw a demonstration of how the studio’s LED screen, which is equipped with virtualisation and augmented reality technology, can be used to integrate virtual environments, real footage and studio scenes into the programme production process, making the images more realistic and achieving versatile production and better visual effects.

            

     The Digital Policy Office (DPO) held its 19th Technology Forum at the Hong Kong Science Park today (July 30). The Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, introduced at the forum the main tasks and future development directions of the DPO. He said he looked forward to inviting more diversified innovation and technology (I&T) enterprises with products and services from the Mainland to set up their businesses in Hong Kong to support the development of the city’s digital government and digital economy, with a view to building a smart Hong Kong. The city’s highly internationalised platform can also be leveraged to assist Mainland technology enterprises to go global and develop international markets, jointly telling the country’s good I&T stories to the world. 

     The forum, with the theme “Empower Public Service Development through National Self-developed Diversified Technologies”, attracted colleagues from over 40 government departments and representatives from 12 Mainland I&T enterprises.

     Mr Wong remarked that the DPO would spearhead the implementation of data-driven, people-centric and outcome-based digital policies. The DPO will utilise digital technology and data to drive smart innovation and enhance the Government’s efficiency and services, aiming to bring greater benefits to citizens and business sectors. The DPO will also promote the strengthening of project governance and cybersecurity of government digital infrastructure and systems, as well as promote industry development and deepen co-operation with the Mainland.

     At the forum, Mainland I&T enterprises were invited to share information and exchange ideas about their technologies, offering an opportunity for government departments to learn practical examples and gain experience in using various types of products and solutions. This could help provide different departments with more diversified innovative solutions for consideration. Today’s forum also enabled the Mainland I&T industry to better understand the development and needs of the local I&T industry, thereby facilitating closer collaboration between the two sides in the future.

     The Technology Forum held today was organised by the Smart Government Innovation Lab (Smart Lab) under the DPO in collaboration with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Hong Kong Cyberport and the Hong Kong Productivity Council. Since its establishment in 2019, the Smart Lab has been actively connecting government departments with the I&T sector, particularly local start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises, to foster a close partnership between the two sides. The Smart Lab regularly organises different promotional activities, including technology forums and technology exchange workshops for government departments and the industry, with a view to encouraging and helping government departments to introduce and apply innovative technology products and solutions, which could in turn facilitate more business matching, achieving a win-win situation.

     The technology forums have so far attracted over 7 000 participants from more than 70 different bureaux and departments as well as more than 600 public and private organisations and enterprises. For more details, please visit the thematic website of the Smart Lab (www.smartlab.gov.hk/en/).