Tag Archives: China

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will depart for Davos, Switzerland, in the early hours tomorrow (January 20) to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting taking place from January 20 to 24.
 
     The WEF Annual Meeting will bring together nearly 3 000 political leaders and financial officials, as well as leaders from the financial and business sectors and heads of major international organisations and academic institutions, from over 100 countries and regions to address key global and regional challenges. The theme of the WEF Annual Meeting 2025 is “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age”, covering topics of rebuilding trust internationally and within societies, identifying new sources of growth in the global economy, investing in human capital development, safeguarding the planet and transforming industries in the intelligent age.
 
     During the Annual Meeting, Mr Chan will attend and speak at several keynote meetings, luncheons and dinners. He will also meet with political, business and financial leaders to brief them on Hong Kong’s latest situation as well as the city’s new advantages and new opportunities.
 
     Representatives of the Airport Authority Hong Kong, the MTR Corporation Limited and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited will join the Annual Meeting as well.

     Mr Chan will leave Davos on January 24 (Davos time) and arrive in Hong Kong on January 25. During his absence, the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, will act as the Financial Secretary. read more

     The Government is empowering seniors to master digital technology via the "Smart Silver" Digital Inclusion Programme for Elders, which offers training and technical support with the hope of benefitting over 100 000 elderly… read more

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

     The fire danger situation today (January 19) is red and fire risk is extreme. The countryside is extremely vulnerable to fire. If you are planning to spend the day in the countryside, please take pre-cooked food for a picnic and take all measures to prevent hill fires. The penalty for lighting fires illegally in the countryside is $25,000 and a year’s imprisonment.
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     The Countryside Conservation Office (CCO) under the Environment and Ecology Bureau held the opening ceremony for the Countryside Harvest Festival: Kuk Po “Sound, Sight, Taste Fusion” Tour today (January 18) at Kuk Po in Sha Tau Kok.
 
     Delivering his speech at the ceremony, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, emphasised the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government’s commitment to promoting countryside conservation with a view to revitalising villages and conserving ecological and cultural resources. Based on the achievements of countryside conservation in the past, the Countryside Harvest Festival combines the three major elements of “Sound, Sight and Fusion” for the first time, using music, art and traditional cuisine as the media to connect natural ecology, historical buildings and countryside culture. He hopes that the event can promote a new in-depth eco-tour experience, enhance public awareness of nature conservation, foster urban-rural symbiosis, invigorate the local economy, and build a sustainable future. 
 
     Kuk Po, located in the northeastern New Territories in Sha Tau Kok, is a Hakka village with over 300 years of history, known for its picturesque scenery and rich biodiversity. The Countryside Harvest Festival: Kuk Po “Sound, Sight, Taste Fusion” Tour is the first event in Kuk Po to combine village cultural elements, music performances, art exhibitions, and traditional cuisine. Collaborating with local and international artists, the festival features art installations, photography exhibitions, music performances, the Good Day market, and a variety of countryside experiences, providing participants with a unique and in-depth urban-rural travel experience.
 
     Other officiating guests at the opening ceremony included the Chairman of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Environmental Affairs, Mr Lau Kwok-fan; LegCo Member Mr Yiu Pak-leung; North District Council member Mr Ko Wai-kei; the Chairman of Sha Tau Kok Rural Committee, Mr Lee Koon-hung; Assistant Commissioner for Tourism Mr Henry Lai, and the District Officer (North), Mr Derek Lai.
 
     The event will be held over two weekends, today and tomorrow (January 18 and 19) and January 25 and 26, with activities running from noon to 7pm. Admission is free. On these dates with activities, the CCO will provide complimentary ferry services at scheduled times to transport visitors between Sha Tau Kok and Kuk Po, with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis. Additionally, the art exhibitions will run from today until February 16. For more details about the event, please visit the official website at kukpofestival.hk.

        

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (January 17) detected a case involving possession of etomidate (the main ingredient of “space oil drug”), a kind of Part 1 poison under the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations, by passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 1.1 kilograms of suspected “space oil drug” with an estimated market value of about $1.2 million. One woman and one man were arrested.

     A 34-year-old local female passenger and a 41-year-old local male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found two batches of suspected “space oil drug”, weighing about 1.1kg in total, strapped around their waists. They were subsequently arrested.

     The two arrested persons have been released on bail pending further investigation. Investigations are ongoing.

     Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

     Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, any person who possesses any poison included in Part 1 of the Poisons List other than in accordance with provisions commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for two years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).