The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva hosted a reception on June 26 (Geneva time) to celebrate the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) with over 150 gues… read more
The Acting Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan; and the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, visited Wan Chai Bowrington Road Cooked Food Centre this afternoon (July 1), where they enjoyed dining discounts and tasted popular and authentic delicacies to celebrate Hong Kong’s return to the motherland with members of the public.
The cooked food centre was crowded with customers during lunch hour. The three officials ordered a variety of dishes, including roasted meat, pork knuckle and pig tripe, curry lamb brisket and pomelo peel with shrimp roe, which they enjoyed at a discount of 29 per cent. In conversation with them, the stall owner said that many members of the public welcomed the Government’s lead in providing special offers, as well as encouraging various sectors to offer promotions in areas such as dining, shopping and transportation, on this joyous occasion of celebrating Hong Kong’s return to the motherland.
Cooked food centres inside Hong Kong’s markets are popular among citizens for their affordable prices. The foods and dishes with exceptional flavours offered at these centres have also attracted many tourists. As a food paradise, Hong Kong is renowned for its local delicacies that take a special position in the concept of “Tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong”.
A rich array of special offers are being provided for members of the public to celebrate the 27th Anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland. The three Secretaries of Departments and Director of Bureau urge the public not to miss this opportunity and to take advantage of the various offers to enjoy a special and joyful holiday with their families.
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (July 1) welcomed the substantial conclusion of the consultations between the Ministry of Commerce and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government for further liberalisation of trade in services under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), and looked forward to finalising the text for the new agreement as soon as possible by the two sides and formally signing and implementing the agreement after completion of respective internal approval procedures. Details of the measures will be then announced.
After months of consultations, the two sides have largely reached consensus on new measures to further liberalise the Mainland’s trade in services with Hong Kong. The new liberalisation measures target service sectors that Hong Kong enjoys competitive advantages and expand the Mainland’s liberalisation to Hong Kong, giving Hong Kong enterprises and professionals more preferential treatment to explore the Mainland market, and at the same time enabling them to make contribution to the country’s development of new quality productive forces and solid progress in promoting high-quality development.
Mr Lee said, “I am very grateful to the Central Government for its strong support to the HKSAR. I also thank the Ministry of Commerce and the relevant central ministries for the positive response to the HKSAR Government’s proposals for liberalisation of trade in services. In the past 21 years, CEPA reinforced Hong Kong’s role as a bridge connecting the Mainland and the rest of the world and enhanced Hong Kong’s competitiveness. I pledged in my 2023 Policy Address to actively seek to enrich the contents of CEPA and I am pleased to have achieved concrete outcomes in this respect. The new amendments to the CEPA Agreement on Trade in Services will further deepen economic and trade co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong, and provide the trade with greater room for development, allowing them to better tap into the vast business opportunities brought about by the rapid development of the country as well as the national and international dual circulation strategy, which carries great significance.”
The Mainland and Hong Kong signed the Agreement on Trade in Services under the CEPA framework in November 2015 to basically achieve liberalisation of trade in services between the two places. Subsequently, the two sides signed in November 2019 the Agreement Concerning Amendment to the CEPA Agreement on Trade in Services to further liberalise the Mainland’s trade in services with Hong Kong. Under the current framework of the CEPA Agreement on Trade in Services, the Mainland fully or partially opens up 153 service sectors to Hong Kong’s service industry, enabling Hong Kong enterprises and professionals to enjoy preferential treatment in developing their business in the Mainland. The subject consultations aim to modify the Agreement on Trade in Services to further enhance and deepen the Mainland’s level of liberalisation of trade in services with Hong Kong. read more
The Secretary for Transport and Logistics and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board (HKMPB), Mr Lam Sai-hung, will lead a delegation of HKMPB members to visit Tokyo, Japan, tomorrow (July 2) to promote Hong Kong’s advantages as an international maritime and logistics hub.
Mr Lam and the delegation will meet with a number of local enterprises and maritime industry organisations to introduce various high-value-added maritime services and concessions in Hong Kong and explore co-operation opportunities between Hong Kong and Japan. They will also meet with local government officials to exchange views on issues of mutual concern.
​Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong on Friday (July 5) evening. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Liu Chun-san, will be the Acting Secretary for Transport and Logistics. read more
Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible: Here is an item of interest to swimmers. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced toda… read more