The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     The Legislative Council (LegCo) delegation led by the President of LegCo, Mr Andrew Leung, began its duty visit in Singapore today (May 17).
      
     The delegation visited the Parliament of Singapore to pay a courtesy call on the Speaker of the Parliament, Mr Seah Kian Peng, and met with some Members of Parliament. Both parties exchanged views on various topics including the relationship between the executive authorities and the legislature, as well as Innovation and Technology, land and housing, digital economy, etc. The delegation received a briefing on the Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS) conducted by Members of Parliament in Singapore, and shared LegCo Members' experience in handling public complaints.
      
     The delegation had the opportunity to observe a MPS conducted by a Member of Parliament in his constituency in the evening, to gain a deeper understanding of how these sessions facilitate direct communication between Members of Parliament and their constituents and address community issues. Members believed that MPS can enhance public engagement and such experience is worth referencing. During the session, the delegation also shared insights with the Member of Parliament on parliamentary work.
      
     The delegation also met with the Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, Mr Cao Zhongming, to introduce the latest social and economic developments in Hong Kong and explore how Hong Kong could play a bridging role in the mutually beneficial and co-operative relation between China and Singapore. The delegation also expressed its gratitude to the Central Government and Ambassador Cao for continuously supporting Hong Kong's accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which will facilitate enterprises of member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to expand their businesses in Hong Kong and tap into the Mainland market.
      
     During the visit, the delegation went to JTC Corporation (JTC), a government agency responsible for the development of industrial land and infrastructure, supporting and promoting Singapore's new industrialisation and enterprise development. Members received a briefing by representatives of JTC on its landmark projects, including the development of One-north, which is positioned as a national research and development hub. The delegation opined that various projects of JTC could serve as valuable references for Hong Kong in developing "new quality productive forces" and transforming the Northern Metropolis into a "new international I&T city".
      
     The delegation then met with representatives of the Housing & Development Board of Singapore to gain an overview of local housing policies and projects that provide affordable and quality subsidised housing for citizens. Delegation members would draw on the relevant experience, with a view to putting forward suggestions to the Government on further enhancing the housing ladder in Hong Kong.
      
     In addition, Members met with representatives of the Hong Kong Singapore Business Association and Hong Kong community groups to understand their work, businesses and lives in Singapore. Members also highlighted Hong Kong's unique advantages under "one country, two systems" to investors in Singapore, encouraging them to utilize Hong Kong as a platform to gain access to the Mainland market.
      
     The delegation will continue its duty visit in Singapore tomorrow (May 18) before departing for Hong Kong in the afternoon.

          

     â€‹The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, and the Guangdong Technology Financial Group Co. Ltd. (Guangdong Technology Financial Group) jointly organised a conference in Guangzhou today (May 17) to promote transformation of research and development (R&D) outcomes of Hong Kong higher education institutions and support the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Ms Maisie Chan, attended the conference in Guangzhou and delivered a speech.
      
     The conference aimed to capitalise on the strengths of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao co-operation, build a platform for the integrated development, exchange and co-operation of scientific research, talents, financial and industrial resources, etc. in the GBA, promote precise matching of innovation and technology (I&T) projects of Hong Kong higher education institutions with financial resources, accelerate the flow of innovation resources between Guangdong and Hong Kong, advance the development of the GBA into a new highland for global I&T investments, and nurture "new quality productive forces" in the GBA. A total of 13 I&T teams from Guangdong and Hong Kong participated in the roadshow.
      
     Speaking at the conference, Ms Chan said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will proactively encourage various sectors of the community to develop "new quality productive forces", including supporting the local I&T sector to visit the Mainland more often, especially the Mainland cities of the GBA, for exchange and interaction, so as to keep up with the latest development of "new quality productive forces" in the Mainland. The Government is dedicated to achieving the construction of a more comprehensive and globally competitive I&T industry chain by promoting complementarity and development between Hong Kong and Mainland cities of the GBA.
      
     Ms Chan pointed out that, taking into account Hong Kong's social and economic situations, the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint promulgated by the HKSAR Government provides a clear development path and systematic strategic plan to chart Hong Kong in moving towards the vision of an international I&T centre. In particular, promoting the comprehensive development of upstream, midstream and downstream sectors to form an extensive I&T ecosystem chain is the key to developing "new quality productive forces". The HKSAR Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government are actively pursuing the development of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone in full swing so as to develop an I&T hub of the GBA. With the staunch support of the country, and the full co-operation of various cities in the GBA, more I&T teams will continue to seek breakthrough and contribute to the high-quality development of the country.
      
     During the conference, a representative from the Innovation and Technology Commission introduced the HKSAR Government's policies and measures in recent years in promoting the full interaction and collaboration among industry, academia, research and investment sectors, as well as accelerating the formation and development of "new quality productive forces". In addition to consolidating and enhancing our strengths and capabilities in basic R&D, the policies and measures accelerate the transformation of outstanding R&D results and their application to specific industries, so as to continuously create new value and support the high-quality development of the new real economy. Many of these are collaboration projects between institutions of Hong Kong and other cities of the GBA or the Mainland, leveraging the resources and strengths of Hong Kong and the Mainland to jointly promote technology implementation and commercialisation.
      
     Supported by the People's Government of Guangdong Province, a national investment and financing platform (「粵科發布ã€�) was jointly established by the Guangdong Technology Financial Group and the Guangdong Venture Capital Promotion Association. The platform plays an important role in facilitating the development of an international I&T ecological centre in the GBA and accelerating the development of "new quality productive forces".
      
     Ms Chan then visited Oâ‚‚ PARK, a creative park developed by Hong Kong entrepreneurs in Haizhu District, Guangzhou. She was briefed by representatives of the park on the revitalisation of old factories project and learned about the park's latest efforts in promoting arts, culture and creative industries.

      

     In response to media enquiries on the pilot project of using black soldier flies (BSF) bioconversion technology for treating chicken waste in the EcoPark, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 17) gave the following response:
      
     The Government has been planning to explore different technologies, including bioconversion technology, through pilot projects to treat livestock waste. The purpose is to gain experience, collect data, and compare the advantages and disadvantages of various technologies and their cost-effectiveness, with a view to formulating the long-term waste treatment arrangements.
      
     Regarding chicken waste, the EPD engaged a contractor in 2021 through an open tender process to provide services for carrying out a trial in the EcoPark using BSF bioconversion technology in treating chicken waste and converting it into fish feed and fertiliser. The contract operation period is one year. The contractor will decommission the plant and return the site after the expiry of the operation period. The plant was installed and started operating in February 2023, processing about 10 tonnes of chicken waste per day, which accounts for one-fourth of the chicken waste generated in Hong Kong. The contract was originally scheduled to end in February 2024. In order to collect more data, the EPD and the contractor mutually agreed to extend the operation period by six months until August 2024.
      
     In the meantime, the EPD has successfully tested the "anaerobic co-digestion" technology in treating pig waste and food waste at O．PARK2. Currently, O．PARK2 processes an average of 20 tonnes of pig waste per day, accounting for half of the pig waste generated in Hong Kong.
      
     Following the BSF pilot project and building upon the successful experience of using the "anaerobic co-digestion" technology for treating pig waste, the EPD will commence a trial using the "anaerobic co-digestion" technology to treat chicken waste in August. In the initial phase, 10 tonnes of chicken waste per day will be converted into energy. Depending on the effectiveness, the EPD may further increase the capacity for chicken waste treatment. The EPD will utilise the data, operational experience, cost-effectiveness, and other information collected from both the BSF and the "anaerobic co-digestion" pilot projects to formulate long-term waste treatment arrangements for chicken waste.
      
     Regarding the use of BSF bioconversion technology for food waste treatment, the EPD is currently using anaerobic digestion to convert food waste into energy. The "Food Waste/Sewage Sludge Anaerobic Co-digestion" trial projects at Tai Po and Shatin Sewage Treatment Works currently in operation are very successful. Due to the scarcity of land resources in Hong Kong, using BSF bioconversion technology or other technologies to treat large amount of food waste would require significant additional land. In the future, the EPD will focus on developing the use of Sewage Treatment Works for "Food Waste/Sewage Sludge Anaerobic Co-digestion" to enhance the overall capacity for food waste treatment.

     Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the cocktail reception of Constitution Day of Norway today (May 17):
 
Ambassador Brudeset (Norwegian Ambassador to China, Ms Signe Brudeset), Director General Wei (Director General of the Consular Department of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Wei Wenxiu), Honorary Consul Chao (Norwegian Honorary Consul in Hong Kong, Ms Sabrina Chao), ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good evening.

     I'm delighted to be here, with you, in celebration of Norway's Constitution Day. Delighted, too, that Norway's Ambassador to China and Mongolia, Ms Brudeset, could join us, here in Hong Kong, for this evening's reception.
      
     Constitution Day may sound like a rather formal occasion. But having done some reading, and entertaining viewing, I can tell you it looks like one of the world's happiest national days. A day when children are celebrated as much as the constitution. A day full of youth parades and all the ice cream children – and, no doubt, their parents – can eat.
      
     There’s plenty of hot dogs and cake on offer, too. Sounds like my kind of holiday.
      
     It's been six years since we celebrated Norway's national day together here in Hong Kong. As we move into the post-pandemic economy, I'm hopeful that our two economies, our two communities, can build on our good ties and goodwill.
     After all the challenging times, I can confidently say that Hong Kong now shines brighter than ever.
      
     Our formula of success, the “one country, two systems” principle, will be here to stay in the long run. It is a solemn commitment of our country, China.The unique advantages that have made Hong Kong what it is today will continue to be the core character of this city.
      
     Hong Kong continues to stand as the trusted gateway to connect the Chinese Mainland and the world; a platform which international businesses can leverage for convenient access to the Mainland and Asian markets.
      
     Apart from being Asian's international financial centre, we are also driving our innovation and technology development through targeted policies.Our efforts include attracting strategic enterprises worldwide to establish a presence here, and expediting collaboration with sister cities in the Greater Bay Area, particularly Shenzhen.
      
     I trust Hong Kong can create business opportunities for Norwegian companies – and a flourishing future for us all.
      
     On this, I would like to highlight one specific area, which I believe our co-operation is with promising prospect.
      
     Our country has given us the “eight centres” role in the National 14th Five-year Plan, and that includes building Hong Kong as an international maritime centre. In that regard, we released an Action Plan on Maritime and Port Development Strategy last December. And strengthening high-value-added maritime services, enlarging the maritime network, and grooming talent are among our priority tasks.
      
     Hong Kong is now home to over 1 100 port and maritime-related companies. They provide a wide range of high-value-added maritime services.In the field of marine insurance, for instance, 11 out of the 12 members of the International Group of Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Clubs have established a presence in Hong Kong. Among them are the Norwegian-based Gard and Skuld P&I Clubs, which have been operating in Hong Kong for decades. Norway's DNV (Det Norske Veritas), the world's largest classification society for vessels in terms of gross tonnage, has also maintained a longstanding presence in the city.
      
     Norway is certainly a superpower on the seas, and owns one of the world's largest merchant fleets.You have one of the world's most comprehensive maritime industry clusters. For maritime services, there are many areas where we can collaborate.
      
     One such area is the decarbonisation of vessels and the entire maritime value chain, as we collectively strive to achieve net zero targets. We can also foster partnerships on maritime talent development and manpower training. For instance, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is well recognised in this area.It has established a joint degree programme with the Copenhagen Business School.
      
     And, let me add, our co-operation could extend well into the cultural sphere.
      
     I understand that the Norwegian city of Bodo, just north of the Arctic Circle, is one of this year's three European Capitals of Culture. Bodo's theme is "Arcticulation," with more than 1 000 events being held there and throughout the surrounding region of Nordland.
      
     Perhaps a mini-Arcticulation festival would find an enthusiastic audience in Hong Kong.
      
     Or, collaboration between our West Kowloon Cultural District and Oslo's Munch Museum, which is home to the world famous painting of
      
     In short, from trade to business, from the economy to culture, and others, the room for co-operation is vast.
      
     Ambassador, ladies and gentlemen, my congratulations to your Constitution Day, and our best wishes to the enduring good relationship between Hong Kong and Norway.

    

     Hong Kong Customs conducted an anti-narcotics operation codenamed "Sniper II" between January 1 and May 16 to combat syndicates smuggling drugs by using consolidated consignments.  

     In view of the upward trend of drug syndicates making use of consolidated consignments to smuggle drugs into Hong Kong, Customs, through risk assessment, have conducted strike and search operations at local consolidator companies to examine suspicious parcels. During the operation, Customs detected 14 cases and seized about 20 kilograms of suspected dangerous drugs, including about 8.5kg of suspected ketamine, about 5.2kg of suspected cannabis-type dangerous drugs, about 4kg of suspected methamphetamine and about 2kg of suspected cocaine. The total estimated market value of the seizures was about $9.1 million. 

     In one of the cases, Customs officers arrested a 59-year-old man in Lai Chi Kok while he collected a parcel in which about 2kg of suspected ketamine was concealed. He was released on bail pending further investigation. 

     In another case, Customs yesterday (May 16) conducted a controlled delivery operation in Kwai Chung and seized about 3.5kg of suspected ketamine from a parcel received by a 47-year-old foreign man. The man, who was suspected of trafficking in a dangerous drug, was immediately arrested. Later, Customs officers searched the man's residence and found a batch of drug packaging paraphernalia which was believed to be used for repackaging and redistributing drugs therein. An investigation is ongoing and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.  

     The parcels seized in this operation mainly originated from European and American regions, and were delivered to Hong Kong through consolidated consignments. Drug syndicates tend to make use of daily products including skincare products, cosmetic products and shampoo bottles to disguise or conceal the drugs inside the interlinings of packing materials or mix-load them with snacks in order to evade Customs inspection and increase the difficulty of Customs detection.

     Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Young people should especially pay attention to the fact that drug trafficking is a serious criminal offence. A criminal conviction will result in grave repercussions for their future and they should not take risks in the hope that they may not be caught.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).