The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited Shenzhen today (July 17). She met with leaders of the Shenzhen Municipal Government to promote the co-operation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and visited innovation and technology enterprises and institutions. The Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang; the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong; the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip; and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, joined the visit.
 
     In the morning, Mrs Lam and the other officials visited Ping An Technology (Shenzhen) Co Ltd and were briefed by the management on the company's application of technology in its insurance, healthcare and city management businesses. Mrs Lam learned that the company is pursuing smart healthcare through solutions to strengthen primary healthcare services and disease prevention, as well as improve patient experience and healthcare institutions' management and efficiency, so as to enhance overall public health. The company hopes that the services will be leveraged across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area.
 
     Mrs Lam and the other officials then separately met with the Secretary of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Mr Wang Weizhong, and the Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, Mr Chen Rugui, and attended a lunch hosted by the latter. At the meeting, Mrs Lam congratulated the city for its sustained and rapid economic growth and said she looks forward to further collaboration between the two cities. Noting that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the country's reform and opening up, Mrs Lam said she is planning to lead a delegation to Shenzhen later this year to look back on the road that the two places have travelled together in the course of the reform and opening up and to witness the achievements of Shenzhen. Mrs Lam thanked the Shenzhen Municipal Government for its support in ensuring the smooth progress of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Lok Ma Chau Loop area. On the upcoming commissioning of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, given the tremendous contribution of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee and the Shenzhen Municipal Government to the project, Mrs Lam invited the officials to visit Hong Kong to participate in the opening ceremony.
 
     After the lunch, Mrs Lam and the other officials went to Longgang District to learn about the development plan of the Shimao Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Center project and visit the Software Town of Shenzhen Universiade. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Center project, commenced in March this year and expected to be completed in five years, will include a Shenzhen-Hong Kong youth entrepreneurial and start-up centre, an innovation and technology experience centre, and facilities for international conventions and performing arts. The Software Town of Shenzhen Universiade is a science and technology innovation industrial park in Longgang District. The software town gathers talents and provides support for small and medium-sized technology enterprises, and a Shenzhen-Hong Kong youth innovation entrepreneurship base was set up there in June last year to serve young entrepreneurs of the two places. Mrs Lam exchanged views with young entrepreneurs from Hong Kong at the base to learn about their start-up processes and experiences.
 
     Mrs Lam and the other officials then visited the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, which is also located in the software town. The institute was established in 2016 with the support of the local government and the team has now grown to nearly 100. It attaches importance to both scientific research and industrial services, with medical services, electricity and logistics as the key directions for commercialisation, and the results have broad application prospects.
 
     Mrs Lam and the other officials returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.

                

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (July 20) 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: 
 

 
     "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.

     The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, today (July 20) officiated at the Maritime and Aviation Internship Scheme Cocktail Reception, where he exchanged views on the development and prospects of the maritime and aviation sectors with local students participating in the Internship Scheme as well as with stakeholders from the maritime and aviation sector.

     In his speech, Mr Chan said that as an international maritime and aviation centre and a regional logistics hub, Hong Kong's maritime and aviation industries have been flourishing. The Government has all along been committed to nurturing more talent for the maritime and aviation sectors, so as to reinforce the sustainable development of the two industries.
 
     Mr Chan also said that the Government has always attached importance to the long-term development of the maritime and aviation industries, which account for 4.2 per cent of Hong Kong's gross domestic product. The Government would continue to push forward with manpower development work to groom talents for the two industries. On the maritime front, through better use of the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund (MATF), the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board has been working closely with the industry to actively drive and facilitate the development of the maritime sector and high value-added maritime services, as well as provide relevant training programmes, with a view to promoting Hong Kong’s position as an international maritime centre. As regards the aviation industry, the Government will continue to collaborate with the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy and the industry to encourage young people to join aviation-related programmes through the MATF, so that they can acquire knowledge about the aviation sector and enhance their skills thereon. Mr Chan said he hoped that the participating students would actively consider joining the maritime and aviation industries upon their graduation, and become a new force in the two sectors. 
 
     Launched in 2014, the $100 million MATF has been in operation for five years and been well received by industry stakeholders and participants of various related schemes. For the Maritime and Aviation Internship Scheme under the MATF, more than 60 companies have participated in the Scheme this year, offering nearly 780 internship places and representing an increase of more than 20 per cent compared to last year. Through participation in the internship programme, students can gain exposure to the wide spectrum of career opportunities in the two sectors, allowing them to better understand the career prospects of various positions. 
 
     More details about the MATF and the internship scheme are available from the Transport and Housing Bureau at https://www.thb.gov.hk/eng/whatsnew/transport/2014/20140401.htm.

     Police will implement special traffic arrangements to facilitate a public procession to be held on Hong Kong Island this Sunday (July 22).

Road closure
——————

     The following roads will be intermittently closed from 1.30pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

– Tin Chiu Street;
– Marble Road;
– Kam Hong Street;
– Westbound King’s Road;
– Westbound Causeway Road;
– Irving Street;
– Pennington Street;
– Westbound Yee Wo Street;
– Jardine’s Bazaar;
– Westbound Hennessy Road;
– Westbound Queensway;
– Westbound Queen’s Road Central;
– Westbound Queen’s Road West; and
– Chiu Kwong Street.

     The following road sections will be closed from about 3pm until the crowd has dispersed:

– Northbound Wyndham Street between Wellington Street and Queen’s Road Central, except for vehicles heading to On Lan Street carpark; and
– Northbound Cochrane Street between Stanley Street and Queen’s Road Central.

Traffic diversions
———————–
     
     The following traffic diversion arrangements will be implemented from about 3pm until the crowd has dispersed:

– Traffic along northbound Wyndham Street must turn left to westbound Wellington Street, except for vehicles heading to On Lan Street car park; and
– Traffic along westbound Stanley Street must turn left to southbound Cochrane Street.

Suspension of parking spaces
—————————————-

     Metered parking spaces No. 3040(A), 3040(B), 3041(A), 3041(B) at Marble Road will be suspended between 10pm on July 21 and 6pm the following day.

     Vehicles may not be permitted to access or leave the car parks along the procession route during the road closure period.

     Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the area. Motorists are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.

     Police will implement special traffic arrangements to facilitate a public procession to be held on Hong Kong Island tomorrow (July 21).

     The following roads will be intermittently closed from 1pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:
     
– Luard Road between Johnston Road and Hennessy Road;
– Thomson Road between Johnston Road and Luard Road;
– Westbound Hennessy Road between Luard Road and Fenwick Street;
– Northbound Fenwick Street between Hennessy Road and Lockhart Road;
– Westbound Lockhart Road between Fenwick Street and Arsenal Street; and
– Northbound Arsenal Street between Hennessy Road and Harcourt Road.

     Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the area. Motorists are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.