The Government announced today (July 26) that the Chief Executive, on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, has reappointed the Commissioner on Interception of Communications and Surveillance under the Interception of Communications and Surveillance Ordinance (Chapter 589) (the Ordinance).
 
     The Chief Executive has reappointed Mr Yeung Chun-kuen, former Vice-President of the Court of Appeal of the High Court, as the Commissioner for a term of three years with effect from August 17, 2024. Under the Ordinance, the Commissioner performs the role of an independent oversight authority to ensure the law enforcement agencies' compliance with the requirements of the Ordinance.
 
     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said, "Mr Yeung is a retired judge with a wealth of experience. He was first appointed as the Commissioner in August 2021, and has been devoted to performing his function as an independent oversight authority under the Ordinance to ensure the law enforcement agencies' compliance and the effective operation of the regulatory regime. I am confident that he will remain capable of taking up the important position as the Commissioner."
 
     The Ordinance provides a comprehensive statutory framework for regulating the conduct of interception and covert surveillance by law enforcement agencies, and aims to strike a balance between maintaining law and order and protecting the privacy rights of individuals.

     â€‹The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, today (July 26) announced the reappointment of Mr Eddie Yue as the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) for a term of five years with effect from October 1 this year.
      
     Mr Chan said, "Over the past few years, Hong Kong had experienced the impact of black-clad violence and the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been facing geopolitical challenges.  Under the leadership of Eddie, the HKMA has maintained the stability of Hong Kong's money market and banking system, and has worked closely with the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Securities and Futures Commission, the Insurance Authority, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and other organisations to safeguard Hong Kong's financial security. The Exchange Fund has also achieved investment income commensurate with its investment objectives despite considerable uncertainties in the global investment environment.
      
     "Under the leadership and steer of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the HKMA has been making great strides in promoting the development of Hong Kong as an international financial centre. Its efforts include, among other things, building Hong Kong as an offshore Renminbi hub, advancing fintech, and promoting the mutual access between the Mainland and Hong Kong financial markets. The HKMA has also been actively strengthening exchanges and collaboration with financial regulators on the Mainland and abroad.
      
     "Following the instructions of the HKSAR Government, the HKMA has also actively responded to the needs of the public and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and promoted financial inclusion. That includes rolling out the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme and the HKMC Annuity Plan through the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited, and more.
      
     "I am confident that Eddie will continue to lead the HKMA effectively in the coming five years, and make further contributions to Hong Kong's financial, economic and social progress."  
      
     The Financial Secretary, after consultation with the Governance Sub-Committee of the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee, has decided to set the annual fixed pay of the Chief Executive of the HKMA at around $7.4 million at the beginning of his new term. The fixed pay will be reviewed in April each year in the context of the HKMA annual pay review, and the adjustment will be no more than the inflation rate in the preceding year.
      
     The annual performance-linked variable pay will be capped at $2.3 million throughout the five-year term, and the amount will be determined by the Financial Secretary after consultation with the above Governance Sub-Committee.
      
Biography of Mr Eddie Yue
      
     Mr Eddie Yue, 59, began his career as an Administrative Officer in the Hong Kong Government in 1986. He joined the HKMA in 1993 as a Senior Manager, and was subsequently promoted to Division Head in 1994. Mr Yue was appointed as Executive Director (Corporate Services) in June 2001 and took up the position of Executive Director (Monetary Management and Infrastructure) in July 2004. He was appointed as Deputy Chief Executive in September 2007. He has served as the Chief Executive of the HKMA since October 2019.

     Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-raising ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 8am today (July 26) will be cancelled.

     If the thunderstorm warning is cancelled and weather conditions permit by then, the flag-raising ceremony may be resumed without further notice.

     â€‹The Health Bureau (HHB) expresses gratitude to various Mainland authorities and units for their support for and facilitation of the smooth delivery of a cord blood haematopoietic stem cell unit from the Mainland to Hong Kong today (July 25) for the treatment of a five-year-old girl suffering from thalassaemia.
      
     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "This exercise exemplifies the close relationship between Guangdong and Hong Kong. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the relevant Mainland authorities and units, including the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Red Cross Society of China, for their substantial support which enabled the Guangdong Cord Blood Bank's smooth delivery of the cord blood haematopoietic stem cell unit to the Hong Kong Children's Hospital (HKCH), thereby bringing hope for the paediatric patient's treatment."
      
     The HKCH has been providing treatment for the paediatric patient concerned and is planning to perform a haematopoietic stem cell transplant for her. After being made aware of the storage of the cord blood haematopoietic stem cell unit of the patient's relative at a cord blood bank in Guangzhou, the medical team communicated and collaborated with the cord blood bank to actualise the successful cross-boundary delivery of the cord blood haematopoietic stem cell unit.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, at a media session after visiting the Olympic Village in Paris today (July 25, Paris time):
 
Reporter: There are lots of first-time athletes going to the Olympics from Hong Kong. What does it mean for the sports sector and the SAR (Special Administrative Region)? And also, after visiting the facilities, what further support is the Government going to give the athletes during their time in Paris?
 
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism: This time we have quite a number of new athletes joining or coming to competing at the Olympics for the first time, which means that we have a very good training system, having new athletes coming in, having very high standard athletes starting to emerge in our system, which I think is very important for Hong Kong. Because we are not just looking at one or two excellent athletes, we would like to have a system that could continuously produce athletes up to the world standard. That's very encouraging to us and to everyone in Hong Kong.
 
     And for the continuous support that we are going to give to our athletes for the rest of the Olympics, or actually we haven't started the Olympics yet. We have been in discussion with the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee (Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China) in the morning, basically to see whether there is anything that they would like the Government to support more. I think they are already providing very good support to the athletes. So we will see in the next few days if there are any more things that they think the Government could do to help. We will certainly provide assistance as necessary.

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