Tag Archives: China

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, met with senior officials of Laos and representatives from major business chambers during their visit to the country today (December 11).
 
     Mr Hui and Mr Yau had bilateral meetings respectively with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos, Mr Saleumxay Kommasith; the Minister of Industry and Commerce of Laos, Mr Malaithong Kommasith; and the Minister of Finance of Laos, Mr Santiphab Phomvihane, in Vientiane. They discussed issues of mutual concern including Hong Kong’s recent relaxation measures for Laotian talent for working, training and studying, the potential for collaboration in financial and commercial services, as well as Hong Kong’s accession request to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
 
     To learn more about the business environment in Laos and explore opportunities of business co-operation, Mr Hui and Mr Yau met respectively with the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the most representative business community in Laos with over 4 000 members, and the Lao Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the first national overseas Chinese business association in Laos.
 
     Mr Hui also met with the Governor of the Bank of the Lao PDR (the central bank of the country), Dr Bounleua Sinxayvoravong, to exchange views on how to ensure resilience of the financial system and the sound supervision of financial institutions.
 
     Concluding today’s visit, Mr Hui said, “It is my great pleasure to visit Laos, which will assume the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Chairmanship next year with the theme ‘ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience’. In line with this theme, Hong Kong attaches much importance to our connectivity with places around the world and resilience against various challenges. It is believed that Hong Kong and Laos have huge opportunities for co-operation in economic and financial areas. Despite complexities posed by the uncertain outlook for the global economy, geopolitical tensions and high interest rates, Hong Kong’s financial system remains resilient. As an international financial centre, our various connect schemes channel capital between the Mainland and international markets. Hong Kong continues to be Asia’s largest hedge fund hub and cross-border wealth management hub, as well as the world’s largest offshore Renminbi business centre.
 
     “Hong Kong is renowned for its world-class financial infrastructure. We will make the best use of our positioning as an international financial centre under the National 14th Five-Year Plan by playing the roles of a ‘super connector’ and a ‘super value-adder’. Hong Kong stands ready to provide solutions for Laos and ASEAN to attract international capital to support their projects and development.”
 
     Mr Yau said, “As an international trade centre and Asia’s prime investment and logistics hub, Hong Kong offers a business-friendly environment with a simple and low tax system, a robust financial regulatory regime together with a mature legal system. Coupled with the benefits stemming from national strategies including the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) development and the Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI), we are the bridge that connects the nation and Asia to the rest of the world, and vice versa. With our unique advantages under ‘one country, two systems’, Hong Kong is an ideal gateway for the Laotian business sector to tap into the GBA market and participate in the B&RI.
 
     “Hong Kong is committed to further bolstering our close relationship with ASEAN. The continued robust growth of bilateral trade between Hong Kong and ASEAN member states (AMS) is a testament to the solid foundation that we have built over the years. In the first half of 2022, trade in goods between us increased by 12.1 per cent year-on year to reach US$84 billion. I appeal to the AMS, including Laos, with its upcoming Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2024, to offer their continued support to Hong Kong’s early accession to the RCEP so as to further highlight the open, inclusive and multilateral nature of the RCEP,” Mr Yau added.
 
     Before concluding their visit to Laos tomorrow (December 12), Mr Hui and Mr Yau will call on the Charge d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Laos, Mr Wang Chang, to give him an update on Hong Kong’s latest developments. Mr Hui will then depart for Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam to start his visit to the country while Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong.

            

The following is issued on behalf of the Communications Authority:

     The Communications Authority (CA) today (December 11) launched a promotion truck tour campaign themed “My Promise against Phone Scams” to enhance publicity against telephone scams. The promotion truck, featuring games and exhibits, will tour Hong Kong’s 18 districts from today to December 22.

     “The aim of this publicity campaign is to remind members of the public to always stay vigilant against unknown telephone calls and short messages, and to refrain from disclosing their personal or account information, or transferring money to unknown callers or senders of short messages under any circumstances, to avoid being scammed,” a spokesman for the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) said.

     The Director-General of Communications, Mr Chaucer Leung, visited the promotion truck today at one of the first-day parking locations on Hung Shing Street, Ap Lei Chau. He joined members of the public on-site for the “My Promise against Phone Scams” tongue twister game and the “Anti-phone Scams Do’s and Don’ts” game, which aim to remind the public to stay vigilant at all times against unknown telephone calls and short messages.

     In addition to the fun games, the CA has also arranged to display on the promotion truck relevant information on telephone scams and distribute promotional leaflets and souvenirs to visitors to enhance the effectiveness of publicity.

     Details of the campaign, including the tour schedule and parking locations of the promotion truck, are available at OFCA’s website (www.ofca.gov.hk/trucktour).

      

     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, chaired the third meeting of the Committee on Innovation, Technology and Industry Development (CITID) this afternoon (December 11).

     At the meeting, members were briefed on the major initiatives that were in “The Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address” related to the purview of the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, and shared their views on the relevant initiatives. Moreover, members also shared their suggestions with the Government on the industry planning of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP) in the Loop.

     Professor Sun said, “Innovation and technology (I&T) are instrumental in societal progress, and provide key impetus for Hong Kong’s high-quality economic development. The Policy Address sets out a series of initiatives with a forward-looking approach to support the I&T development.”

     On the HSITP, he stated that the HSITP will contain various clusters with different industry themes to establish a diverse I&T ecosystem. At the same time, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to work closely with the Shenzhen Municipal Government to foster the synergistic development of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.

     Established on March 3, 2023, the CITID advises the Government on the directions and strategies as set out in the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint on promoting development of I&T in Hong Kong, and enhances co-operation among stakeholders.

    

     The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) today (December 11) held the Award Presentation Ceremony for the Sea Cargo Pre-shipment Declaration Scheme 2023 at the Customs Headquarters Building and presented award certificates to 47 sea cargo carriers in recognition of their active participation in the scheme and efforts to work with the C&ED to provide efficient and seamless cargo clearance services for the trade, contributing to the prosperity of maritime and port development.

     In her speech at the ceremony, the Assistant Commissioner of Customs and Excise (Boundary and Ports), Ms Ida Ng, said that Hong Kong is one of the most important hub ports in the world. The support of the Central Government, coupled with the proactive policies taken forward by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, further consolidates Hong Kong’s status as an international maritime and logistics hub and helps Hong Kong to better integrate into the national development. The C&ED will continue to support the policies of the country and the HKSAR Government, and promote various trade facilitative measures, including the Hong Kong Authorized Economic Operator Programme, the Single E-Lock Scheme and the Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Scheme, with the aim of improving customs clearance efficiency and speeding up the flow of cargoes. 

     Ms Ng also expressed special thanks to the sea cargo carriers for their active participation in the Sea Cargo Pre-shipment Declaration Scheme, which enabled C&ED officers to conduct more precise risk assessment, and for their assistance to the department in detecting a number of record-breaking sea smuggling cases this year.  

     Since 2009, the C&ED has been committed to implementing different sea cargo information submission schemes, including the EMAN Statement 1 Submission Scheme and the Advance Cargo Information – River Trade Vessel Scheme. These schemes allow carriers and cargo agents to submit advance cargo information to the C&ED prior to vessels’ arrival, enabling the department to conduct risk assessment more effectively and expediting the cargo clearance processes.

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Major Sports Events Committee:
 
     The Major Sports Events Committee (MSEC) has awarded “M” Mark status to World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) Breaking for Gold World Series – Hong Kong 2023, which will be held on December 15 and 16.
      
     The Chairman of the MSEC, Mr Wilfred Ng, said today (December 11) that like all other “M” Mark events, this event will add colour and vibrancy to Hong Kong and thereby bring in more visitors from abroad.
      
     “I am delighted that the DanceSport Association of Hong Kong, China has been sanctioned to host the WDSF Breaking for Gold World Series – Hong Kong 2023, which is a highest-level event. With the Paris 2024 Olympic Games less than a year away, this event also serves as the final qualification ranking competition for the Paris Olympics. It is expected that approximately 200 breakdancing elites from around 50 countries or regions will compete in Hong Kong. This event does not only showcase Hong Kong’s capability to host world-class events, but also enhance Hong Kong’s position as a centre for major international sports events,” said Mr Ng.
              
     The “M” Mark System aims to encourage and help local national sports associations and private and non-government organisations to organise more major international sports events and nurture them into sustainable undertakings. Sports events meeting the assessment criteria will be granted “M” Mark status by the MSEC. Funding support will also be provided to some events.
      
     For details of “M” Mark events, please visit www.mevents.org.hk. read more