Tag Archives: China

     In proactively implementing the Central Government’s support for the integration of Hong Kong into the overall development of the country and promoting the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) and Hong Kong Customs are fully boosting the interconnectivity between the two places and extending their areas of co-operation. In November, the two places signed the Co-operative Arrangement on Smart Customs Development between the GACC and Hong Kong Customs, in which the Guangdong-Hong Kong “Single Submission for Dual Declaration” Scheme on cargo was one of the key co-operation projects.
      
     To put in place the Scheme, the two Customs administrations yesterday (December 27) successfully launched a trial run, in which a Guangdong and Hong Kong enterprise successfully submitted road cargo information to the two Customs administrations through the Scheme and seamlessly exported cargo from Guangdong to Hong Kong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The Scheme facilitates completing Customs declarations for both the Mainland and Hong Kong sides by making a single submission of cargo information.
      
     The Scheme is a trade facilitation measure built on the China (Guangdong) International Trade Single Window Cargo Declaration System (Guangdong Platform) and the Hong Kong Road Cargo System (Hong Kong Platform). Currently, the Scheme applies to cargo exported from the Mainland to Hong Kong passing through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port. Under the Scheme, export cargo information declared by Mainland enterprises through the Guangdong Platform will be encrypted and sent to the Hong Kong Platform, where Hong Kong importers can retrieve the relevant cargo information for submission to the Hong Kong Platform for completion of a local Customs declaration. 
      
     The Scheme allows enterprises to submit cargo information direct in one go through its automatic cargo information sharing function. It not only helps enterprises save time and cost from repeated data inputting, but also offers an electronic means for enterprises of both places to achieve efficient Customs declarations. Moreover, the Scheme enhances the accuracy of declarations on cargo information and speeds up the receipt of data for the Customs administrations of both sides, thereby improving Customs clearance efficiency and maximising the cargo processing capacity of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port.
      
     Under the precondition of Smart Customs Development, Hong Kong Customs will continue to extend the coverage of the Scheme to other control points, actively push forward interconnectivity and expand the areas of co-operation between Customs administrations of the two places, so as to enhance the international competitiveness of the Greater Bay Area.       read more

     The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) published today (December 28) a paper on the conclusions of the consultation on the proposal to establish a policy holders’ protection scheme (PPS). The paper outlines the views received during the consultation period, and sets out the Government’s response and the way forward.

     The public consultation period ran from December 30, 2022, to March 31, 2023. The FSTB collected views on the proposed PPS from insurers, and professional bodies from various sectors including insurance, actuarial, legal and consumer protection as well as members of the public. A total of 14 submissions were received.

     Furthermore, the FSTB and the Insurance Authority attended the insurance industry’s briefing to exchange views directly with representatives of insurers and the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers on the consultation document, and attended a meeting of the Panel on Financial Affairs of the Legislative Council to provide a briefing on the PPS.

     The spokesman for the FSTB said, “We are pleased to note that respondents generally support the establishment of a PPS as well as the proposed key features of the scheme. Having regard to the comments and suggestions from respondents, we will fine-tune our proposal as appropriate to address stakeholders’ concerns.” 

     Based on the consultation conclusions, the Government will begin preparatory work on establishing a PPS, including the formulation of detailed arrangements of the PPS and the drafting of the necessary legislative amendments, with a view to enhancing protection for policy holders in the event of insurer insolvency.

     The consultation conclusions have been uploaded to the website of the FSTB at www.fstb.gov.hk/fsb/en/publication/consult/consult_pps.html.  read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      â€‹Regarding an earlier announcement on Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) carrier cases, the spokesperson for Princess Margaret Hospital gave the followi… read more

     â€‹Subsequent to announcing on December 21 that carcasses of a pin-tailed snipe and a Eurasian teal found in the Hong Kong Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai preliminarily tested positive for the H5 avian influenza (AI) virus, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) confirmed the carcasses to be positive for the H5N1 AI virus after further laboratory testing, a spokesman for the AFCD said today (December 28).

     The bird carcasses were collected earlier at a mudflat in the Wetland Park. 

     The spokesman said cleaning and disinfection has been stepped up at the location where the dead birds were found in the Wetland Park. Notices have also been put up to remind visitors to pay attention to personal hygiene. The Wetland Park will keep a close watch on the situation of birds inside the Park.

     One chicken farm is situated within 3 kilometres of where the dead birds were collected. The AFCD immediately informed the chicken farm concerned and no abnormal mortality or symptoms of avian influenza among the chicken flocks have been found so far. The AFCD will remind poultry farmers to strengthen precautionary and biosecurity measures against AI. Pet bird shop owners and licence holders of bird exhibitions will also be reminded to implement proper precautions against AI.

     The spokesman said that the department will closely monitor poultry farms and the wholesale market to ensure that proper precautions against AI have been taken. The department will continue its wild bird monitoring and surveillance.

     “People should avoid personal contact with wild birds and live poultry and their droppings. They should clean their hands thoroughly after coming into contact with them. The public can call 1823 for AFCD’s follow-up if they come across birds suspected to be sick or dead, including the carcasses of wild birds and poultry,” the spokesman said.

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will continue to be vigilant over live poultry stalls. It will also remind stall operators to maintain good hygiene.

     The Department of Health will keep up its health education to remind the public to maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene to prevent AI.

     The AFCD, the FEHD, the Customs and Excise Department and the Police will strive to deter the illegal importation of poultry and birds into Hong Kong to minimise the risk of AI outbreaks caused by imported poultry and birds that have not gone through inspection and quarantine.

     All relevant government departments will continue to be highly vigilant and strictly enforce preventive measures against AI. Health advice about preventing AI is available on the “Avian Influenza Health Advice” page at www.afcd.gov.hk. read more

     Hong Kong Customs conducted anti-illicit cigarette operations before the Christmas holiday, and detected a large-scale illicit cigarette seaborne smuggling case in Tuen Mun on November 29 and cracked down on a suspected illicit cigarette storage centre in Chai Wan on December 21 respectively. A total of about 22 million suspected illicit cigarettes with a total estimated market value of about $82 million and a duty potential of about $56 million were seized.
      
     In the first case, Customs on November 29 intercepted a suspicious barge at the Tuen Mun Public Cargo Working Area and, after inspection, seized about nine million suspected illicit cigarettes inside a 40-foot container on board. A 21-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.
      
     After a follow-up investigation, Customs arrested a 46-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case at the loading area of ​​a housing estate on Sceneway Road in Lam Tin in the early morning of December 21, and seized 220,000 suspected illicit cigarettes. Customs officers then escorted the man to an industrial building unit in Chai Wan for a search; there they further seized about 13 million suspected illicit cigarettes and successfully cracked down on a suspected illicit cigarette storage centre.
      
     An investigation is ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source and the flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
      
     With the New Year holidays approaching, Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multi-pronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.
      
     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
      
     Customs reminds members of the public that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes. Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette 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/).