The Acting Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk; the Commissioner of Police, Mr Siu Chak-yee; and the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, today (May 23) met with the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna, Ms Ghada Fathi Waly, and her delegation to exchange views on anti-crime and anti-drug strategies and efforts. Ms Waly is visiting Hong Kong from May 21 to May 25 to attend the 8th ICAC Symposium cohosted by the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities.
 
     The UNODC delegation was first received by Mr Cheuk, who presented crime-fighting policies of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as well as strategies in combating narcotics, which has enabled Hong Kong to become one of the safest cities in the world. The meeting took place in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre which has become the hub of anti-drug education and publicity in Hong Kong following its large-scale revamp completed in end-2022.
 
     The Hong Kong Police Force and Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) have always played a major role in regional and international drug enforcement. After the abovementioned session, the delegation met with Mr Siu to exchange ideas on various topics including anti-money laundering, anti-deception and cyber crimes, in particular on how to underpin Hong Kong's role as an international city and financial centre through various law enforcement efforts.
 
     The delegation also met with Ms Ho. During a visit to the Kwai Chung Customhouse, the delegation gained firsthand knowledge of the work of the C&ED including how it combats drug trafficking as well as its efforts in stopping the transnational smuggling of endangered plants and animals.
 
     Mr Cheuk said, "The Security Bureau is delighted that Ms Waly has been able to fit us into her very tight schedule. We hope that the UNODC delegation could gain a better understanding of the latest situation in Hong Kong after the visit. We are committed to international co-operation and working together with the UNODC on achieving its goal of making the world safer from drugs, crime, corruption and terrorism. We also look forward to further opportunities for our young people to participate in UNODC activities."

     Ms Waly said, "Drugs and crime challenges are evolving worldwide, making it more important than ever to enhance international co-operation and promote best practices. I was very pleased to learn about the Security Bureau's efforts to counter drugs and crime in Hong Kong. The UNODC stands ready to support those efforts as well as to promote the lessons learned from Hong Kong's experiences as we look to confront emerging global threats, strengthen prevention, and engage young people in responses." 
 
     In March 2024 for the first time, a young person from Hong Kong, who was also a member of the Security Bureau Youth Uniformed Group Leaders Forum, joined the Youth Forum in Vienna hosted by the UNODC on the sidelines of the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to discuss a range of topics related to drug and substance abuse.

      

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) made the following appeal today (May 23) regarding a patient who left the hospital without notifying hospital staff:

     A 77-year-old male patient left the Emergency Medicine ward without notifying hospital staff at around 1.40pm today.

     Upon discovering the patient was missing, ward staff immediately reported the incident to security guards for a search in hospital areas and the vicinity, but their efforts were unsuccessful. QEH is very concerned about the incident. The hospital has contacted the patient's relatives and friends and reported the incident to the Police. The hospital will co-operate with the Police for the search.

     The patient is about 1.7 metres tall and 80 kilograms in weight with short white hair. He was wearing a black-and-white striped long-sleeved t-shirt, a black down vest and black pants when leaving the hospital.

     The hospital appeals to the public to contact the QEH Security Department at 3506 8944 or call 999 if they know the whereabouts of the patient.

     â€‹The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, today (May 23). Also attending the meeting were the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau; the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, Datuk Mohamad bin Alamin; and the Consul General of Malaysia in Hong Kong, Mr Muzambli Markam.
      
     Mr Lee welcomed Dato' Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's visit to Hong Kong. He said Hong Kong and Malaysia have long enjoyed a close relationship in trade, noting that the bilateral trade in goods between the two places reached US$23.9 billion last year. Malaysia is Hong Kong's ninth-largest trading partner and the third largest among member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, he added. Mr Lee also expressed his gratitude to Malaysia for its continued support for Hong Kong's early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, with a view to making greater contributions to regional co-operation.
      
     Mr Lee noted that the strategy of attracting and retaining talent is one of the priorities of the current-term Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. The Top Talent Pass Scheme welcomes graduates of the world's top 100 universities, including Universiti Malaya, to come to Hong Kong for development. The HKSAR Government will continue to work closely with Malaysia to promote talent exchanges in such areas as healthcare and vocational training. Mr Lee said that Hong Kong is determined to develop into an international hub for post-secondary education. With the upcoming increase in the quota of the Belt and Road Scholarship starting from the next academic year, more students from Malaysia are welcome to study in Hong Kong to deepen exchanges among young people between the two places, he added.
      
     Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia, Mr Lee said that Hong Kong will continue to foster exchanges and collaboration with Malaysia in such areas as trade and commerce, investment, innovation and technology, as well as culture and tourism, contributing to the further consolidation of the bilateral relationship between the country and Malaysia.

  

     Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-lowering ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 6pm today (May 23) will be cancelled.

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

     Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) hosted a themed seminar on innovation and technology (I&T) this afternoon (May 23) to delve into development opportunities for I&T talent in Hong Kong and support them to settle in the city.

     At the seminar, a speaker from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation outlined the career opportunities of starting a business or joining I&T enterprises in Hong Kong. In addition, two I&T talents shared with incoming talent about the talent demand of the Hong Kong Quantum AI Lab and relevant projects, as well as the experience of settling in an overseas technology firm within the Hong Kong Science Park respectively.

     The Government conducted follow-up surveys in November 2023 with persons who had arrived in Hong Kong for more than six months with Top Talent Pass Scheme visas. The survey results showed that 54 per cent of the incoming talent had been in employment and, among them, 18 per cent took up jobs in I&T/information and communication technology services. The Government will continue to attract tech talent, at home and abroad, through measures such as the Technology Talent Admission Scheme and the Talent List.

     HKTE has held online and physical seminars or workshops from March 2024 in collaboration with working partners on a wide range of topics, such as job seeking, business start-ups, education, accommodation, household knowledge and Cantonese learning. Talent who have arrived in Hong Kong may obtain event details from HKTE social media or by contacting HKTE via email (hkte@hkengage.gov.hk).