Tag Archives: China

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 28) reported a suspected case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places of visit. The case is detailed below: 
 

Sex	Male
Age	67
Affected area involved	Dubai, United Arab Emirates
High-risk exposure	Camel riding
Hospital	Princess Margaret Hospital
Condition	Stable
MERS-Coronavirus preliminary test result	Pending

 
     “Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels; avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry; and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS Coronavirus (MERS-CoV),” a spokesman for the CHP said.    

     Locally, the CHP’s surveillance with public and private hospitals, with practising doctors and at boundary control points is firmly in place. Inbound travellers and members of the public who recently visited the Middle East and developed fever or lower respiratory symptoms within 14 days will be classified as suspected MERS cases. They will be taken to public hospitals for isolation and management until their specimens test negative for MERS-CoV.

     Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the MERS pages of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, MERS statistics in affected areas, the CHP’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the World Health Organization’s latest news for more information and health advice. Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP’s health advice on MERS. read more

     Close to 5,000 participants, including ministerial officials, business leaders and professionals from 55 countries and regions attended the third Belt and Road Summit today (June 28), at which over 500 one-to-one business-matching meetings with over 220 projects were arranged to promote business deals.

     Themed “Collaborate for Success”, the Summit started with the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, delivering an opening address, followed by special addresses from the Chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, Mr Xiao Yaqing; the Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Mr Ning Jizhe; and the Vice Minister of Commerce, Ms Gao Yan. The Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Dr Somkid Jatusripitak, delivered a keynote speech.

     Mrs Lam said in her opening address that wide participation from different parts of the world is important for the successful implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, as its pursuit requires a high degree of co-operation between countries and the establishment of a sound bilateral and multilateral mechanism, as well as participation from different sectors.

     She said, “Hong Kong, being the world’s freest economy and China’s most international city, is destined to play a significant part in the Belt and Road Initiative.

     “Hong Kong will contribute to the Initiative across all areas of its wide-ranging connectivity, from policy co-ordination, financial integration and trade, to infrastructure and people-to-people bonds.

     “Hong Kong’s singular most important advantage in playing an active role in the Belt and Road Initiative is the ‘one country, two systems’ framework that propels our development in the past 21 years. It allows us to expand our traditional strengths as an international financial, trade and logistics centre, while deepening our economic integration with the Mainland.”

     Mrs Lam also pointed out that the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area would boost interaction and integration within the region, encouraging strategic partnerships between Hong Kong, Guangdong and the larger Belt and Road region.

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, delivered openings remarks at the luncheon plenary. The session consisted of a ministerial dialogue chaired by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, with the participation of four overseas ministerial officials. The four ministers were the National Security Advisor, Union Minister for the Ministry of the office of the Union Government and Chairman of the Myanmar Investment Commission, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, U Thaung Tun; the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Georgia, Mr Genadi Arveladze; the Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion, the United Kingdom, Baroness Fairhead; and the Secretary of State, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Kingdom of Cambodia, Mr Lim Sidenine. They shared their insights on how the Belt and Road Initiative would enhance multi-lateral partnerships.

     Mr Chan said, “For decades, Hong Kong has been the pivotal gateway connecting China and the world. We are strategically positioned to serve as multiple platforms for the Belt and Road.

     “As one of the world’s leading financial centres and China’s international financial capital, Hong Kong can be the platform for capital formation and funding. Our deep liquidity, premier financial infrastructure and comprehensive options for raising capital, from traditional IPOs and loan syndication to bonds and the more sophisticated Islamic sukuk, can meet the financing needs of the mega Belt and Road infrastructure projects.” 

     He pointed out that Hong Kong was also the Belt and Road platform for high-end professional services and the platform for enterprises to find the right partners, as well as to base their offshore operations.

     In his lead-in speech this morning, Mr Yau highlighted five distinct areas where Hong Kong could offer itself as a platform for collaboration with those who want to leverage on the opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative. The five areas are policy, positioning, professional services, project inception and partnering.

     The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, also spoke at the panel session on “Deal Maker in International Cross-Border Transactions”.

     Jointly organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the third Belt and Road Summit featured a main plenary session, a luncheon plenary, nine thematic breakout sessions, full day investment and business matching sessions and three project pitching sessions, with the latter focusing on energy, natural resources and public utilities; transport and logistics infrastructure; and rural and urban development.

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     The Home Affairs Department will open 18 temporary night heat shelters tonight (June 28) for people in need of the service.
      
     The shelters will be open from 10.30pm until 8am tomorrow.

     For further information, please call the department’s enquiries hotline before midnight on 2835 1473.
      
     The 18 night heat shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Districts:
———————
 
Central and Western –
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex,
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern/Wan Chai –
Causeway Bay Community Centre
Waiting Lobby, 3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern –
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau
 
Kowloon Districts:
——————
 
Kowloon City –
Hung Hom Community Hall
Multi-purpose Room, 1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices,
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong –
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
 
Sham Shui Po –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate,
Nam Cheong Street, Sham Shui Po

Wong Tai Sin –
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
Hall, G/F, 45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong –
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories Districts:
————————–
 
Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building,
39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung –
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex,
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin –
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po –
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan –
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun –
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long –
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
 
Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai
      
     The temporary night heat shelters will resume their functions as either community centres or community halls in the daytime for hire by the local community and cannot continue to be open as heat shelters. People may choose to take refuge from the heat during the daytime in the common areas in any of the 21 designated community centres or community halls. Their opening hours are from 9am to 10pm. For addresses of the community centres or community halls, please browse the following webpage: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf. read more

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, at the plenary session on “Action through Collaboration: Case Studies on Signature Belt and Road Projects” of the third Belt and Road Summit today (June 28):
 
Panel Chair Bernard (Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council, Mr Bernard Chan), panel speakers, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     As the co-host of this summit and on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, we welcome once again all of you to come to this first plenary session, in which we will try to home in on Belt and Road actions through collaboration.
 
     I think the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Georgia and Hong Kong just now is indeed a strong testimony of Hong Kong as well as Georgia’s strong commitment and mutual collaborative efforts in pursuing our common interest in facilitating unimpeded trade under the Belt and Road Initiative.
 
     Particularly at the time when we see an overcast of trade protection and the looming storm of trade disputes among some members of the international community, the smooth negotiation and swift conclusion of this Hong Kong-Georgia FTA is a clear and loud message to the world that through collaboration, we can build trade alliance, and through removing trade barriers, we secure mutual benefits that the sum of which is surely bigger than the lone interest of respective players. And we will continue to do more.
 
     Just in the past 12 months, Hong Kong has secured three new sets of FTAs with 12 economies, more than double the number that we have achieved in the last two decades. Our new FTAs range from one with our closest partner, Macao, which is also a partner in forming the greater Bay Area, to a recently signed FTA with the 10 members of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), which is a union that has emerged as Hong Kong’s second largest trading partner in the last decade or so, and just now, with Georgia today, which will become our springboard partner into our respective hinterlands at the two far ends of our big continent of Asia.
 
     What we have witnessed today from the signing of the FTA tells you that Hong Kong connects to countries and economies along the Belt and Road, not just by lip service, but by way of providing binding and trusted agreements that open doors to all, be they markets big or small, old or new.
 
     While these FTAs are signed between Hong Kong and the respective countries and economies, all the market access offered in our FTAs is in fact made available to most if not all companies and businesses that operate in Hong Kong in our typical open, transparent and level-playing field manner.
 
     But what Hong Kong offers is more than just market access. At the press conference of this summit, I mentioned five distinctive areas that Hong Kong could offer itself as a platform for collaboration with all those who want to leverage on the opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative. They are policy, positioning, professional services, project inception and partnering.
 
     For policy, I mean the special institutional arrangement and insights that Hong Kong enjoys with our Central Government as well as governments of all Belt and Road partnering economies. Hong Kong, as a Special Administrative Region of our country, is the first and still the only city that has entered into a collaborative and co-operative arrangement with Beijing over what Hong Kong can do in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative through our own strength. 
 
     Again, as a Special Administrative Region, our constitution provides Hong Kong the ability to enter into bilateral and multilateral trade and investment agreements with other economies. All these provide Hong Kong with exceptional government-to-government trade relationships that are in tandem with the rule-based multilateral trading system, i.e. the World Trade Organization. 
 
     For positioning, I mean the unique advantages that Hong Kong enjoys under the “one country, two systems” that provides international businesses an exceptional access through Hong Kong into the markets along the Belt and Road. Such advantages include the unique economic freedom, free flow of capital, people and information, and the most welcoming and competitive trading environment that we operate.
 
     For professional services, I mean the availability of a full spectrum of services that are needed in support of global businesses that can operate from Hong Kong. And not only do they benchmark against the highest international standards, they have also acquired the necessary knowledge and skill in handling cross-country, multinational and interdisciplinary transactions.
 
     For project inception, I mean the natural advantage of having Hong Kong as the commercial hub that is the marketplace for deals that are being made. The 200-plus projects that the TDC (Hong Kong Trade Development Council) is putting up on the table today for business matching speaks for itself that Hong Kong is naturally the domain name for Belt and Road projects, and we will continue to develop this depository of Belt and Road projects, as well as the platform for project inception and business matching.
 
     Last but not least, for partnering, it is self-evident that this is exactly what we are doing today in this very place. I hope the coming sessions will offer you many more concrete examples, case studies and stories of successes, and even learning experience that would help us in finding opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative. We believe you have come to the right place at the right time, and I hope to be able to see you and talk to you more during the day. Thank you.

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     The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, today (June 28) officiated at the award ceremony for the Charter on External Lighting to commend about 4 800 participants for joining hands to implement the Charter to provide the public with a better environment conducive to sleep and minimise energy wastage. Mr Wong emphasised that the support of various sectors is instrumental to the implementation of the Charter, which aims to encourage them to switch off unnecessary lights at night.

     The awardees came from sectors including building management, property development, hotels and catering, retail, laundry, banking, telecommunications and real estate agencies, as well as schools, public utilities and public/non-governmental organisations. Among them, over 3 300 participants fulfilling the pledge to switch off external lighting from 11pm to 7am were awarded the Platinum Award, while some 1 200 participants were awarded the Gold Award for switching off external lighting from midnight to 7am. In addition, more than 200 participants newly signed up to the Charter this year were granted certificates.

     The ceremony also recognised the contributions made by three Partners of the Charter. The Chairperson of the Working Group on the Promotion of the Charter on External Lighting, Ms Caroline Mak, expressed appreciation to them for promoting corporate social responsibility and through their networks encouraging premises with external lighting installations to sign up to the Charter.

     The Environment Bureau launched the Charter in April 2016 to invite owners of and responsible persons for external lighting installations to switch off lighting installations with decorative, promotional or advertising purposes that affect the outdoor environment during preset times (i.e. 11pm or midnight to 7am on the following day). The list of participants is available on the Charter’s dedicated website (www.charteronexternallighting.gov.hk).

     “The Government will commence a review on the effectiveness of the Charter, and consider the next step with regard to the findings,” Mr Wong said. read more