The Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, started his two-day visit to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) today (July 19). He called on the municipal public security bureaux of Zhaoqing and Foshan, and visited a local enterprise. 

     Mr Tang arrived in Zhaoqing this morning and called on the Vice Mayor of Zhaoqing cum Director-General of the Zhaoqing Municipal Public Security Bureau, Mr Dong Xinqi. Deputy head of the Zhaoqing Municipal Emergency Management Bureau Mr Yao Wenhe, was also in attendance. In the afternoon, Mr Tang went to Foshan to call on Vice Mayor of Foshan, Mr Huang Shaowen. The first deputy director-general of the Foshan Municipal Public Security Bureau Mr Lin Gan, and the head of the Foshan Municipal Emergency Management Bureau, Mr Wei Yu, were also in attendance. Mr Tang exchanged views with them on issues including combatting cross-boundary crimes and strengthening emergency management to deepen co-operation. During the meeting he introduced the new emergency response plan formulated by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to establish a more systematic operational mechanism to enhance support and co-operation in overall emergency response operations among the GBA cities. 

     While in Zhaoqing, Mr Tang visited the Zhaoqing Xpeng Motors Intelligent Industrial Park to learn more about the development of smart electric vehicles.

     Mr Tang will continue the visit programme in Zhongshan tomorrow (July 20).

      

     The Secretary for Housing and Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), Ms Winnie Ho, and members of the HA Building Committee and Tender Committee, visited Foshan and Zhuhai today (July 19) to get an understanding of the latest situation regarding research and development (R&D) and applications of innovative construction technologies in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area cities. The delegation included the Chairman of the Building Committee, Dr Johnnie Chan, and seven committee members.
 
     Ms Ho and other members of the delegation first visited the Guangdong Bright Dream Robotics Company Limited in Foshan. The company briefed the delegation on its R&D, manufacturing and applications of various construction robots, as well as development in construction technologies such as building information modelling (BIM). To meet the tremendous housing production, the HA has been following closely and applying various construction technologies and proactive in considering wider use of appropriate robotics technologies to promote safe and more efficient smart construction sites.
 
     The delegation moved to Zhuhai in the afternoon to visit the Guangdong Hailong Construction Technology Company Limited to get an understanding of the latest trends in Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) modules such as the robust production process and quality control, as well as R&D and applications in this area. The MiC method helps enhance efficiency, quality and site safety of housing construction and the HA has been adopting MiC in certain public housing projects. By the second five-year period (i.e. 2028-29 to 2032-33), no less than half of the projects should adopt the MiC approach. In collaboration with the industry, the HA will continuously enhance the operation process of MiC to optimise its benefits.
 
     Ms Ho said that technological advancement in construction in the Mainland is fast-changing, including technical skills and product R&D, as well as manpower development, thereby ensuring self-reliant and high-quality development. Members of the delegation also considered that these technologies and products are mature. Members envisaged that these would help the HA enhance the speed, efficiency, quantity and quality of housing construction, and also help make the construction environment-friendly, providing a safer and more pleasant working environment for workers.
 
     Ms Ho will return to Hong Kong this evening after the visit.

                  

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) reminded members of the public today (July 19) that an additional special service session from 2pm to 9pm would be provided at the Travel Documents (Issue) Section on 4/F, Immigration Tower, Wan Chai, and at the seven Immigration Branch Offices for collection of travel documents on July 22 (Saturday).
 
     In view of the start of the summer holidays, additional special service sessions are provided by the ImmD on two consecutive Saturdays from July 15 to enable members of the public to collect their travel documents. The ImmD encourages applicants who plan to travel during the summer holidays and have yet to collect their travel documents to make use of the special service session on July 22.
 
     Members of the public may collect their Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports or other travel documents by presenting the Collection Notice at the offices concerned during the special service session without making prior appointments and on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be no quota limit. Members of the public are also reminded to return their existing travel documents to the ImmD for cancellation upon collection of the new ones (except for first applications or loss cases). For addresses of the offices concerned and arrangements for the special service session, please see the Annex.
 
     For enquiries, please phone the ImmD hotline 2824 6111 or contact staff of the ImmD by email (enquiry@immd.gov.hk).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Bank of Singapore Limited relating to a fraudulent website, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.

     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).

     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the website, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (July 19) reminded the public that to tie in with the extension of opening hours of the Hong Kong Book Fair 2023 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) this Friday and Saturday (July 21 and 22), bus operators will provide special services of the following 10 cross-harbour bus routes in the vicinity of the HKCEC on those two days:
 

     â€‹For details, please go to the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk) and its mobile application "HKeMobility", or the bus companies' websites (www.citybus.com.hk and www.kmb.hk) and their respective mobile applications.