Tag Archives: China

The following is issued on behalf of the Executive Council Secretariat:
      
     Non-official Members of the Executive Council (ExCo Non-official Members) today (December 14) boarded the home-developed aircraft C919 and ARJ21 which are on a visit to Hong Kong, to witness the achievement in civilian passenger aircraft manufacturing of the country.
      
     The ExCo Non-official Members boarded the C919 and the ARJ21 and received a briefing from the staff on the aircraft design and characteristics in the designated area of Hong Kong International Airport where the two domestic aircraft are on static display. The C919 and the ARJ21 are the first two jet aircraft developed by the country. At the invitation of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) participated in the certification project and other areas of the development of the two aircraft.
      
     The Convenor of the ExCo Non-official Members, Mrs Regina Ip, said, “The successful productions of the two civilian passenger aircraft marked a significant milestone for the national aviation manufacturing industry. We are profoundly proud of our country’s achievement. The National 14th Five-Year Plan and the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have clearly supported Hong Kong in consolidating and promoting its position as an international aviation hub. Choosing Hong Kong as the destination of the C919’s first voyage out of the Mainland, it fully reflects that the country attaches great importance to and supports the development of Hong Kong’s aviation industry and its position as an international aviation hub. It also enables members of the public of Hong Kong to admire the home-grown aircraft up close and witness the country’s accomplishment in the development of aviation technologies.”
      
     The ExCo Non-official Members commended the CAD’s active participation in the research and development of aircraft of the country, saying that it demonstrated the high level of professionalism of Hong Kong in aviation which can contribute to the national development. They expressed the hope that the display event and the related activities will increase members of the public’s understanding of the development of the country’s aviation industry and technology, and inspire young people’s interest in aviation technologies.
      
     The ExCo Non-official Members joining the visit today were Convenor Mrs Regina Ip, Mr Jeffrey Lam, Mr Martin Liao, Mr Joseph Yam, Dr Moses Cheng and Mrs Margaret Leung.

            

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) today (December 14) reminded members of the public to stay alert to fraudulent calls.        &n… 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

     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, officiated at the Cybersecurity Symposium 2023 today (December 14) and shared the latest efforts of the Government in safeguarding cybersecurity and facilitating data flow in Hong Kong. The symposium is co-organised by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and the Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited.

     In his opening remarks, Professor Sun said, “The Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau published the Policy Statement on Facilitating Data Flow and Safeguarding Data Security in Hong Kong last week, which puts forward 18 specific action items in five broad categories, including enhancing cybersecurity protection, to support the development of innovation technology, the digital economy and smart city matters in Hong Kong in a co-ordinated and secure manner.”

     Professor Sun further said that the National 14th Five-Year Plan clearly supports Hong Kong’s development into an international innovation and technology centre, and cybersecurity is the key to achieving this goal. He encouraged public and private organisations to jointly build a strong cybersecurity defence, establish comprehensive cybersecurity policies and procedures, and strengthen their devotion and support in cybersecurity, with a view to enhancing their capabilities in defending against cybersecurity threats and tackling cybersecurity incidents.

     The Cybersecurity Symposium 2023 aims to bring together quangos (quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations), enterprises and other local organisations in Hong Kong to explore industry collaboration in addressing cybersecurity challenges in the digital era. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to cybersecurity training of information technology personnel and staff members across all departments, and regularly organises information security talks, seminars, workshops and solution showcases for them. For instance, during the period from October to December 2023, the OGCIO organised several thematic activities on cybersecurity risk management, prevention of ransomware, and application security testing. These training activities, attended by over 1 000 officers from various government bureaux and departments, helped enhance the overall cybersecurity defence capabilities of the Government.

     Eight representative cybersecurity companies from the Mainland also participated in the symposium. These companies have either already established or plan to establish their presence in Hong Kong, or will expand their operations here to support the development of the digital economy and strengthen the cybersecurity defence in Hong Kong. The symposium provided a valuable opportunity for participating organisations to establish connections and business engagements with industry peers, as well as jointly explore suitable cybersecurity solutions, thereby strengthening Hong Kong’s overall defence and resilience capabilities against cyber attacks.

     In addition, several panel discussion sessions were held during the symposium. Over 10 industry experts and business leaders from the Mainland and Hong Kong, together with over 450 industry professionals representing about 200 public and private organisations, exchanged views on different topics including protection of critical data and the latest technologies and trends in cyber defence matters. The symposium also featured a showcase of cybersecurity solutions, allowing participants to gain insights and engage with industry experts regarding the latest cybersecurity technologies and solutions.

     The Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, and the Government Chief Information Officer, Mr Tony Wong, also attended the symposium.

    

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (December 13) conducted anti-illicit cigarette operations in Tsim Sha Tsui and Yuen Long, and successfully cracked down on two suspected illicit cigarette storage centres. A total of about 2.75 million suspected illicit cigarettes with a total estimated market value of about $10 million and a duty potential of about $6.9 million were seized.
      
     In the first case, Customs officers raided a unit of a sub-divided flat on Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, yesterday afternoon and seized about 650 000 suspected illicit cigarettes therein. A 60-year-old women who claimed to be unemployed and suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.
      
     In the second case, Customs officers on the same afternoon further seized about 2.1 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside a metal hut on Kam Po Road in Yuen Long, successfully shutting down another suspected illicit cigarette storage centre. Two 36-year-old men, both claiming to be workers, suspected to be connected with the case were arrested.
      
     The three arrested persons have been charged with “dealing with goods to which the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance applies”, and the two cases will be brought up at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on December 20 and the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (December 15) respectively.
      
     With the Christmas and New Year holidays approaching, Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multipronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.
      
     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/).