Following is the speech by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, at the 22nd GS1 Hong Kong Summit today (November 14):

Chairman May Chung (Chairman of GS1 Hong Kong Board), Director Ma (Director of the Commerce Office of the Economic Affairs Department, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Ma Zhanjun), Legislative Council members, distinguished speakers and guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good morning. I am delighted to join you for this year's GS1 Hong Kong Summit with the theme "Driving Digitalisation and Sustainability for Tomorrow".  A warm welcome to our visitors from around the world, and to those of you who are joining this event online. 

     Digitalisation has been transforming the marketplace for decades. Take for example, last Saturday, the 11th day of the 11th month – better known to shoppers in Mainland China as "Singles' Day", which has evolved into the world's largest annual shopping event, with all business done online. Without the help of digitalisation, our logistics sector would never be able to deliver the right parcels to the right customers at the right time, given the enormous volume of transactions amounting to hundreds of billions of Renminbi. 

     From the factory floor to the point of sale to the marketing department and beyond, new technologies have fundamentally altered the ways that businesses interact with consumers, and vice versa. And the rate of change continues to gather pace. Leveraging smart tools like data analytics, AI (artificial intelligence) and automation, businesses could more easily unlock business trends, streamline operations and reduce costs of doing business. At the same time, the vast amount of information generated in the digital era has raised consumers' awareness on sustainability issues, the hot topic of our time.

     Environmentally-conscious consumers tend to ask more questions about the materials used and production line, the associated carbon footprint and social impact of the products and services they acquire from different parts of the world.  Subscribing to the concept of sustainability will be a significant pull factor for attracting customers, amid the rising trend of eco-friendly consumers. For businesses to stay ahead of the curve, they must weave sustainability into their business processes and align digital transformation strategies with sustainable and ethnical practices.  

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government takes heed of the inevitable trend and importance of driving digital and business transformation. The Digital Economy Development Committee, or DEDC in short, is working on a set of astute and forward-looking recommendations to chart the development of Hong Kong's digital economy in various areas. Digital transformation would be one of the key pillars of the action plan to advance the digital maturity of our economy, in particular for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). SMEs constitute the vast majority of businesses in Hong Kong, but they generally lack know-how and resources to kick-start and pursue their digital journey. As part of the DEDC's multifaceted strategy, Cyberport, with the funding support of the Government, will soon be rolling out the Digital Transformation Support Pilot Programme. This will help to subsidise SMEs in the retail and food and beverage sectors in adopting electronic payment and other digital packages.

     Specifically on the logistics sector, the Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development was promulgated last month to map out the forward-looking strategies and actions to promote the high-quality and sustainable development of Hong Kong's logistics industry. Among the eight strategies set out, promotion of digitalisation and smart logistics development comes first. Our target is to develop Hong Kong into a sustainable, modern, high value-added and smart logistics hub, serving businesses and customers in Hong Kong and beyond.

     The Government itself is also advancing the cause of digitalisation and digital transformation from within. As announced by the Chief Executive in his Policy Address last month, we will set up the Digital Policy Office to spearhead policies on digital government, data governance and information technology. This Office represents our clear commitment to building a digital government and delivering people-centric measures. As one of the key drivers in the transformational journey, the Digital Policy Office will open up more data, promote cross-department and cross-sector innovation, and encourage the adoption of AI and blockchain technologies in public services. All this will accelerate "smart government" and "smart city" development.  

     Naturally, our digitalisation endeavours will also foster closer integration with the Mainland, including the Greater Bay Area (GBA). As part of the Digital GBA strategy, the Hong Kong Government collaborates with the Guangdong Provincial Government on promoting the Cross-boundary Public Services initiative. This facilitates Hong Kong residents and enterprises to access and manage their cross-boundary public services electronically, and vice versa for our counterparts in the GBA. This initiative will support enterprises to deepen their business connections and capitalise on the opportunities across the boundary at a lower cost and in a more user-friendly manner.

     Ladies and gentlemen, the future is digital. I congratulate GS1 Hong Kong on hosting this Summit, and I wish you all a very fruitful day of networking and knowledge sharing, and the best of digital business in the years to come. Thank you.

     A man who went missing in Tseung Kwan O has been located.

     Heung Man-ki, Jacky, aged 30, went missing after he left his residence in Ming Tak Estate on November 11 morning. His family made a report to Police on the same day.

     The man was located at MTR Tung Chung Station yesterday (November 13) night. He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

     â€‹The Department of Health (DH) today (November 14) urged members of the public to maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent diabetes mellitus (diabetes). The appeal is made in support of World Diabetes Day held on November 14 every year. This year's campaign focuses on the importance of knowing the risk of type 2 diabetes as well as having access to the right information and care to ensure timely treatment and management.
      
     Diabetes is a common chronic condition marked by high levels of glucose in the blood. Among the main types of diabetes (type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes), type 2 diabetes is the most common form (making up about 90 per cent of all diabetes cases). Improper diabetic control may result in serious complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and blindness.
      
     Diabetes is one of the priority non-communicable diseases that the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified as requiring urgent global actions. Globally, one in 10 adults have diabetes and close to half are not yet diagnosed.
      
     "In Hong Kong, the Population Health Survey 2020-22 (the Survey) conducted by the DH observed that 8.5 per cent of non-institutionalised persons aged 15 to 84 had diabetes or raised blood glucose, including 5.4 per cent self-reported doctor-diagnosed diabetes and 3.1 per cent with no self-reported history, but raised blood glucose or glycated haemoglobin was found by biochemical testing of the Survey. In 2022, there were 661 registered deaths attributed to diabetes with a crude death rate of 9.0 per 100 000 population," a spokesman for the DH said.
      
     Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, a family history of diabetes and increasing age. However, the risk factors for type 2 diabetes are prevalent among the local population. Among persons aged 15 to 84, the Survey observed that 54.6 per cent of them were overweight or obese by body mass index. While 14.4 percent of persons aged 15 or above reported that they have smoked, 8.7 per cent drank at least once a week. Regarding physical activity participation, 24.8 percent of persons aged 18 or above performed an insufficient level of physical activities. Regardless of genetic risk, healthy living can prevent type 2 diabetes or delay its onset. Members of the public are encouraged to keep a healthy body weight, be physically active, eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking and refrain from alcohol drinking.
      
     The spokesman said that walking as a way of conducting physical activity can guard against various chronic diseases and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. To promote the health benefits of walking, the DH has launched the "10,000 Steps a Day" campaign since 2022 to encourage adults to gradually increase their daily step goal to 10 000 based on an individual's own physical condition, ability, pace and circumstances. With the slogan of "Walk Together for Health and Happiness", this year's campaign encourages family members or friends to support each other and walk together, integrating walking 10 000 steps a day into their daily life.

     Another key to lower the risk of complications from type 2 diabetes is screening for high blood glucose with early detection and intervention if indicated. While screening for type 2 diabetes should begin at the age of 45, screenings should be conducted every one to three years based on the presence of diabetes risk factors and previous results. Members of the public are encouraged to consult their family doctors if they have any questions about diabetes or relevant screening recommendations. Hong Kong residents aged 45 or above with no known medical history of diabetes could also register for the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme). The list of family doctors participating in the Scheme, details and frequently asked questions of the Scheme are also available on the CDCC Pilot Scheme dedicated website (www.primaryhealthcare.gov.hk/cdcc/en) for public reference. Members of the public may as well call the hotline at 2157 0500 for inquiries. Dedicated staff of the hotline will answer calls from 9am to 9pm from Mondays to Saturdays.

     To halt the rise of diabetes, the DH will continue organising health promotional campaigns to increase people's health literacy and enhance public awareness about the importance of healthy living, as well as working in close partnership with other government departments and community partners to foster a health-enhancing environment.
      
     Members of the public can read the latest Non-Communicable Diseases Watch (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/ncd_watch_nov_2023_eng.pdf) issued by the DH for more information about diabetes. To know more about the Government's initiatives and actions to prevent and control non-communicable diseases including diabetes, please visit the Change for Health website of the DH (www.change4health.gov.hk).

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 today (November 14) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; and Silverstrand Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

     â€‹â€‹The Labour Department (LD) is holding an online exhibition from 9am today (November 14) to 6pm November 16 on the LD's website disseminating information about the Employment Ordinance and the Minimum Wage Ordinance to enhance the public's understanding of employment rights and benefits.

     Consolidating the content of physical exhibitions held by the LD, the online exhibition features the main provisions of the Employment Ordinance and the Minimum Wage Ordinance, employment rights and benefits for foreign domestic helpers, as well as good human resource management measures. The relevant hyperlink is www.labour.gov.hk/common/Online_exhibition_EO_MWO/index_en.html.