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Author Archives: hksar gov

LegCo Members’ luncheon with Director and officials of Liaison Office of Central People’s Government in HKSAR (with photos)

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     The President of the Legislative Council (LegCo), Mr Andrew Leung, hosted a luncheon today (June 28) in the Dining Hall of the LegCo Complex for the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the Liaison Office), Mr Zheng Yanxiong, and other Liaison Office officials.
 
     On behalf of all LegCo Members, Mr Leung expressed gratitude to Director Zheng for another visit to LegCo since last year for dedicated exchange with Members, fully demonstrating his recognition and support for the work of LegCo. Mr Leung pointed out that the Seventh LegCo had bid farewell to internal attrition and restored rationality. He said it was expected that by the summer recess in mid-July, LegCo would have passed 75 bills, an increase of 35 per cent compared to the same period in the previous term. Additionally, it was anticipated that 186 financial proposals, with a total commitment of over $500 billion, would have been approved by mid-July, reflecting an 11 per cent increase compared to the same period in the previous term. The results are a testament to the proactive pragmatism of Members.

     Mr Leung said the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, driven by his strong sense of responsibility, proposed in March this year to enact legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law. The bill, after scrutiny by LegCo, was subsequently passed, plugging the loophole in national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and enabling Hong Kong to concentrate on its efforts on breaking new ground.
 
     Mr Leung stressed, “Since the early years of Hong Kong, the city has been evolving and advancing on an ever-changing track. From need to change, from change to solution, unfazed by change and dare to change are in Hong Kong’s DNA for success.” He pointed out that LegCo, as an integral member of “patriots administering Hong Kong”, shall spare no effort in assisting the SAR Government in assembling constructive forces to drive Hong Kong’s development. The Liaison Office serves as an important channel for connecting different sectors of Hong Kong and facilitating the exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland. LegCo looks forward to more regular and a closer collaboration with the Liaison Office, with a view to advancing Hong Kong from stability to prosperity and better contributing to our country.

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East Asia

Inspection of aquatic products imported from Japan

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on June 27 to noon today (June 28), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 242 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 63 118 samples of food imported from Japan (including 40 879 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 15 342 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

East Asia