Tag Archives: China

     The Asia Pacific Region Innovation & Capacity Building Symposium 2023 (APICS 2023), jointly organised by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (CAD) and the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA), with support from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Asia and Pacific (APAC) Regional Office and the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), commenced today (December 14) at the AsiaWorld-Expo. 

     The two-day APICS 2023 is a signature event attended by over 1 500 aviation professionals from around the world, including top leaders and experts from civil aviation authorities, air navigation service providers, airport operators and aviation industry as well as young talent from more than 35 states and administrations. The event aims to facilitate discussions on innovative technologies and capacity building in both regional and international contexts. Additionally, it provides an excellent platform for participants to establish business network and foster collaboration. 

     Themed “Uniting the Strength of Innovation for Building a Seamless Sky”, APICS 2023 was officiated by 11 guests of honour at the opening ceremony today. The symposium brings together nearly 25 renowned speakers to share their insights in 15 forums related to the theme embracing three expert panels, namely “Innovation in Sky – Air Navigation Service”, “Innovation on Ground – Airport Operations” and “Capacity Building for Civil Aviation Workforce”. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, expressed his great pleasure in attending APIC 2023 as a major aviation event. Mr Wong opined that the theme of the symposium was a timely and relevant focus for the aviation industry, emphasising the importance of leveraging innovative technologies to drive the aviation industry forward in the post-pandemic era.

     The Deputy Administrator of the CAAC, Mr Cui Xiaofeng, and the Chairman of the AAHK, Mr Jack So, also delivered opening remarks at the APIC 2023 opening ceremony. The Director-General of the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department, Mr Victor Liu, highlighted the significance of global collaboration in building a seamless sky for aviation in his keynote speech. Mr Liu stressed the importance of innovation in addressing industry challenges and encouraged participants to grasp opportunities to explore solutions, share insights, and foster collaboration during the symposium, in line with the ICAO’s initiative of “No Country Left Behind”. 

     APICS 2023 has also provided an important forum for enhancing regional and international co-operation on innovative technologies and capacity building involving some 25 companies and organisations exchanging their collaborative agreements. These significant moments were witnessed by the guests of honour and the participants attending the event.

     In addition to speeches, panel discussions and business talks by top leaders in the industry, APICS 2023 also includes exhibition with nearly 60 internationally renowned exhibitors from around the world, showcasing cutting-edge technologies in civil aviation to the participants.   

     APICS 2023 is not only the first symposium in the Asia-Pacific region focusing on uniting the power of innovation to build a seamless sky for aviation, but it is also the first conference co-organised by the CAAC, the CAD and the HKIAA to present capabilities of globally leading exhibitors from Mainland China, Hong Kong and overseas in innovation, technologies and capacity building for civil aviation, as well as promoting interest of the young generation in the latest innovative technologies for civil aviation.  

     The symposium will continue tomorrow (December 15). For the latest updates on APICS 2023, please visit its dedicated webpage (www.apics2023.org).

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     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced that the newly built Phase II of Kai Tak Station Square (KTSS) in Kowloon City District will officially open for public use starting this Sunday (December 17). 

     To attract more visitors to experience and learn about this new leisure facility, the Kai Tak Station Square Kick-off Carnival will be held from 10am to 2pm on that day. The public will be offered free admission to a large range of activities including new sports (spikeball and mölkky), body-mind stretching, aerobic dance, and photo-taking with LCSD mascots Enggie Pup and Artti Kitty. Public participation is welcome.

     Occupying about 8.5 hectares at the north apron of the former Kai Tak Airport, Phase II of the KTSS is located at the heart of Kai Tak town centre. It provides a quality open plaza with spacious lawn and water features. Moreover, a variety of recreational facilities are available to meet the needs of people of all ages, including two children’s play areas, fitness equipment for people of different ages and a Tai Chi plaza. As well, two lawn bowls greens will be opened in the first quarter of 2024. It also serves as an inclusive park for pets which can enable park users with or without pets to enjoy park facilities together in an inclusive environment. 

     Members of the public who plan to visit the KTSS can walk from Exit D of the Kai Tak Station, or take various bus and minibus routes there. For enquiries, please contact the Kowloon City District Leisure Services Office of the LCSD at 2711 0541 during office hours. 

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     The Security Bureau (SB) today (December 14) expressed continuous and full support to the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force in its effort to bring to justice people who have absconded overseas and allegedly committed offences under the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (National Security Law), and to take law enforcement actions against people who allegedly provided pecuniary assistance to criminals endangering national security. 

     “The National Security Law has extraterritorial effect. The Police have the responsibility to pursue those who have allegedly committed offences under the National Security Law outside Hong Kong. As with the eight persons who have been put on the wanted list earlier, the five persons concerned have fled overseas and allegedly continued to commit offences under the National Security Law. Their malicious acts to endanger national security have been seen through by all, and there is no doubt that they have clearly and seriously endangered national security. As the law enforcement department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region safeguarding national security, the Police are duty bound to put the five persons on the wanted list in accordance with the law and the action is fully justified,” a spokesman for the SB said.

     “No matter how countries and politicians harbouring these absconders unreasonably smear the action, the Police will continue to take all necessary measures steadfastly and fearlessly to prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law, upholding the principle that ‘laws are observed so as to bring offenders to account’, with a view to safeguarding national security,” the spokesman continued.

     The SB spokesman also reiterated in an appeal to members of the public that “Fugitives who have fled overseas have been advocating law-defying ideas through different channels and by various means, and inciting members of the public to support, fund or even take part in activities endangering national security involving the fugitives and their accomplices. Members of the public should discern facts from fallacies and not to be abetted by these absconders and their accomplices to avoid assuming criminal liabilities. The SB, together with the law enforcement agencies, will continue to take measures in accordance with the law to stop those absconders from continuing to conduct acts and activities endangering national security, and bring these absconders and their accomplices, as well as people who provide pecuniary or other financial assistance to them, to justice.” read more

     A spokesman for the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (December 14) said that the HKSAR Government strongly supports the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force in taking actions in accordance with the law by putting on the wanted list five persons who have absconded overseas and allegedly committed offences under the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR (National Security Law).
 
     “Safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests is the top priority of the principle of ‘one country, two systems’, as well as the responsibility of the HKSAR. The HKSAR Government will discharge steadfastly the duty and obligation in safeguarding national security to prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the National Security Law and other relevant laws. The wanted persons with reward notices have repeatedly engaged in acts and activities that endanger national security publicly, including advocating to achieve ‘Hong Kong independence’ through ‘force’ and requesting foreign countries to impose so-called ‘sanctions’ on officials of the Central Government and the HKSAR Government as well as judicial and law enforcement personnel. The HKSAR Government must fight head-on to fulfil its constitutional duty in safeguarding national security and uphold the principle of ‘one country, two systems’ and the spirit of the rule of law,” the spokesman said.
 
     “Fugitives should not take any chances or have any delusion that they could evade criminal liabilities by absconding from Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government will take all necessary measures in accordance with the law to bring them to justice and make every effort to safeguard national security,” the spokesman emphasised. read more

     The Government today (December 14) released the Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries.
 
     The Blueprint outlines the Government’s and the trade’s overall vision and work targets for the sustainable development of agriculture and fisheries. The Blueprint proposes various initiatives to promote the upgrading and transformation of the agricultural and fisheries industries towards modernisation and sustainable development, to integrate with the development plan of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and to enhance the quality, quantity, and output value of local agricultural and fisheries products in the long run.
 
     At the launching ceremony of the Blueprint today, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said, “Hong Kong’s agriculture and fisheries industries have a rich and significant history, deeply rooted in the local cultural heritage. The Government has all along attached great importance to the development of local agriculture and fisheries industries. It was mentioned in the Chief Executive’s 2022 and 2023 Policy Addresses that the Environment and Ecology Bureau will work hand in hand with the agriculture and fisheries industries to formulate the Blueprint, demonstrating our determination to promote the development of the local agriculture and fisheries industries.”
 
     The Blueprint seeks to promote the sustainable development of the agriculture and fisheries industries in the direction of industrialisation, covering areas such as infrastructure support, financial support, application of technology, human resources and training, fostering development of trade organisations, improving operating environment, industrial diversification, opportunity creation, etc. Major initiatives include:
 

• Developing deep sea mariculture;
• Promoting modernised aquaculture;
• Planning for establishing fisheries protection areas;
• Promoting development of offshore fisheries;
• Designating Agricultural Priority Areas;
• Implementing the Agricultural Park project;
• Introducing urban farming;
• Facilitating construction of multi-storey enclosed livestock farms; and
• Developing leisure farming and fisheries.

       
     Since the commencement of the formation of the Blueprint, the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department have participated in nearly 20 consultation activities, reaching out to hundreds of stakeholders in the agriculture and fisheries sectors to understand the problems faced by the trade and to listen to their views, in order to formulate a forward-looking Blueprint that meets the needs of the trade. Mr Tse expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Legislative Council Member of the Agriculture and Fisheries Constituency, Mr Steven Ho, and representatives of the trade for their active participation in the formulation of the Blueprint and for their valuable insights during the consultation period.
 
     The Government will join hands with the trade to progressively implement the initiatives set out in the Blueprint in accordance with the action agenda, to realise the sustainable development of the agriculture and fisheries industries, to attract young people to join the industry and to continue to provide the people of Hong Kong with quality local agricultural and fisheries products as well as employment opportunities.
 
     Full text of the Blueprint has been uploaded to the websites of the Environment and Ecology Bureau (www.eeb.gov.hk/food/en/our_work/afblueprint.html) and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (www.afcd.gov.hk/A&Fblueprint.html). read more