Tag Archives: China

     Following is the speech by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, at Shun Hing Group’s 70th Anniversary Cocktail Reception today (November 10):
 
Ambassador Kenichi Okada (Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong), Mr Yuki Kusumi (President and Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Dr David Mong (Chairman and CEO of Shun Hing Group), ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good evening. It gives me great pleasure to join you all today to celebrate Shun Hing Group’s 70th anniversary.
 
     Shun Hing is just like an old family friend of Hong Kong. Since 1953, your company has supplied Hong Kong with useful products to enhance citizens’ quality of life. Along the way, you have built a reputation as a reliable and caring company.
 
     No doubt, some of us have fond memories of your early rice cookers, a well-received household appliance back in the 60s and 70s. You also brought to the market many other household goods, from kitchen appliances to trendy audio-visual equipment. 
 
     Shun Hing has remained steadfast to Hong Kong and continued to diversify, supplying the business sector with a wide range of tech equipment and even office furniture. 
 
     Business aside, Shun Hing is committed to upholding corporate social responsibility, I am pleased to note. The Shun Hing Education and Charity Fund, established by the late Dr William Mong, has supported wide-ranging charities and projects that benefit Hong Kong and the Mainland. They cover education, sports, arts and culture, scientific research, medical services, and community services. 
 
     No less important are Shun Hing’s ongoing efforts to support the Government’s work to build a better Hong Kong. Let me just highlight two examples.
 
     One area is environmental protection. As a market leader in the electronics sector, Shun Hing has been supporting the implementation of the Government’s green initiatives such as the Producer Responsibility Scheme on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, and the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Programme. 
 
     Also, Shun Hing has adopted a number of energy-saving measures and your own waste scheme to collect recyclables, and co-operated with suppliers to produce greener products, to help create a sustainable living environment.
 
     Another sector is sports, as mentioned by the Chairman (Dr David Mong, Chairman and CEO of Shun Hing Group) before. As a staunch supporter of Hong Kong athletes, Shun Hing has been sponsoring different events to promote a sporting culture in society. 
 
     Last year, the Panasonic Sports Scholarship Programme offered financial support of some 3.5 million Hong Kong dollars to ten athletes to prepare for the Hangzhou Asian Games and the Paris Olympics. No doubt, your support has contributed to the outstanding results of our athletes at the Asian Games, where they made us all proud with a record-breaking total of 53 medals.
 
     On behalf of the Government, I thank Shun Hing for your contributions to our society over the past 70 years. 
 
     As the Chief Executive stressed in his second Policy Address last month, the Government is determined to create a cohesive and caring community, with a vibrant economy where everyone can enjoy life. I look forward to Shun Hing joining with us to achieve more worthy aims – to build a better Hong Kong together.
 
     On that note, I wish Shun Hing Group a grand 70th anniversary, and every one of you the best of health and business in the years to come. Thank you. 

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     The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, today (November 10) led a delegation of Hong Kong Customs to visit the Macao Customs Service and sign the Co-operative and Mutual Assistance Arrangement (CCA) and the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) with the Director-General of Macao Customs Service, Mr Vong Man-chong.

     Ms Ho expressed that, in view of the increased connection between Hong Kong and Macao since the commissioning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the two Customs administrations need to deepen co-operation to fit in with the rapid development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The signing of the CCA and the AEO MRA reflected the wish of both sides to strengthen mutual co-operation in different aspects, including strengthening co-operation in law enforcement and trade facilitation through closer administrative assistance, promoting high-quality development, establishing a mutually complementary co-operation relationship, and taking forward the construction of and safeguarding the development environment in the Greater Bay Area.

     After the signing of the CCA, both sides will continue to strengthen intelligence exchange to combat cross-boundary crimes. Information sharing will also be stepped up to promote closer ties in trade facilitation and create a business-friendly environment for legitimate trade activities.

     Currently, Hong Kong Customs has signed 31 similar CCAs with the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, Macao Customs and 29 overseas customs administrations.

     After the signing of the AEO MRA, customs clearance facilitation measures between Hong Kong and Macao will be further enhanced, providing facilitated trade benefits to authorised economic operators of both sides for goods traveling between the two places, such as reduced examination and prioritised clearance.

     The signing of the MRA with Macao Customs brings the number of MRAs signed by Hong Kong Customs with other customs administrations to 14 in total.

     Hong Kong Customs will maintain close co-operation with customs administrations worldwide to strengthen intelligence exchange, combat transnational criminal activities, and safeguard regional security. Meanwhile, Hong Kong Customs also takes up the role as an economic development promoter by fostering the Hong Kong AEO Programme and extending the MRA networks to bring more benefits to enterprises to further enhance the co-operation between Hong Kong and other neighbouring regions, in particular Southeast Asia and the entire Asia-Pacific region.

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     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (November 10) provided an update on the investigation of the suspected Mycobacterium abscessus infection cluster. There are no additional cases identified today and currently the suspected Mycobacterium abscessus infection cluster involves a total of 18 females.

     The CHP has set up for the related cases an enquiry hotline (2125 2372) since November 3. As of 5.30pm today, 22 calls were received, among which six females, aged 25 to 32, said that they had received relevant injection services and developed symptoms. They have been defined as cases of the infection cluster to receive follow-ups.

     In addition, the CHP has not identified new venues where injections took place, or relevant Instagram social media accounts today. The CHP again appeals that persons who have patronised the premises announced on November 7, or have arranged and received relevant injections via relevant Instagram social media accounts after which they presented with relevant symptoms, should seek medical attention and call the hotline immediately. Officers of the CHP will assess their condition and arrange for follow-ups as appropriate.

     The above hotline will continue to operate from Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) from 9am to 5.30pm to receive enquiries. The CHP will make an announcement if any additional case, new venues where injections took place, or relevant Instagram social media accounts have been identified.

     Based on information obtained in a preliminary investigation, the CHP cannot rule out the possibility of illegal medical practice. Investigations are ongoing.

     The DH reminded members of the public that injection procedures should only be performed by a locally registered doctor. Customers should look for his or her full name against the list of registered doctors of the Medical Council of Hong Kong as well as his or her professional qualifications and relevant experience. The DH also urged the public to observe the health advice below before receiving injections:
 

• Understand the procedure, potential risks and complications before receiving injections. Consult a doctor for an informed decision;
• Do not receive an injection in case of a history of allergy to the injection, or infection or inflammation on the injection site;
• Request the full name of the doctor in writing if referred by a beauty service provider for the procedure, as well as the professional qualifications and relevant experience; and
• If symptoms develop, such as fever or feeling unwell, seek medical attention immediately.

     â€‹The public may visit the DH’s webpage on the differentiation between medical procedures and beauty services and the Drug Database of the Drug Office for more information. read more

     Hong Kong Legal Week 2023, an annual flagship event of the legal sector and the Department of Justice (DoJ), successfully concluded today (November 10). Prominent legal and dispute resolution experts and academics from around the world were gathered at the Legal Week’s series of events to conduct in-depth discussions on a wide range of important topics, including international legal co-operation, mediation, arbitration, and opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative. Themed “Onward & Forward: Connecting the World”, in its five days of events Hong Kong Legal Week 2023 attracted over 11 000 participants in person and online, including representatives from the legal, maritime, aviation, arts, intellectual property and finance sectors, as well as educators, teachers, students and representatives from youth organisations from more than 50 jurisdictions. It demonstrated that Hong Kong’s strong global connections, and the city’s unique advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the “one country, two systems” principle, have been fully leveraged.

     The Rule of Law for the Future was held today as the finale of Hong Kong Legal Week 2023. The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Mr Liu Guangyuan; and the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, gave their remarks at the opening session. The keynote speech was delivered by the Chief Judge of the High Court, Mr Justice Jeremy Poon Shiu-chor.
 
     It was followed by two panel discussions under the main theme of “Rule of Law: A Core Pillar of Support for the ‘8 Centres’ under the National 14th Five-Year Plan”. Renowned legal professionals and academics discussed the essential role of Hong Kong’s legal and dispute resolution services in supporting the development of the maritime and aviation industry in Hong Kong, and explained the interplay between art and law in areas such as intellectual property protection and trading, and copyright issues in developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

     In the afternoon, students were engaged in an open exchange with a Legislative Council member, a school principal and a teacher to share their experiences, anecdotes and their vision on the rule of law topics.

     It was the first time a special session, “National Security Chatroom: You ask, I answer”, was hosted during the Legal Week for the Secretary for Justice to answer questions and clarify misunderstandings about the Hong Kong National Security Law through daily examples and down-to-earth explanations.

     The Rule of Law for the Future and Hong Kong Legal Week 2023 were concluded by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan. The DoJ, dedicated to reinforcing the public awareness of the rule of law, will continue to organise a variety of relevant events, and has been actively preparing for the launch of the first phase of the Rule of Law Education Train-the-Leaders Programme. The Department will also proactively engage with places in the region and beyond to promote Hong Kong’s competitiveness as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia‑Pacific region under the National 14th Five‑Year Plan, so as to tell the good stories of Hong Kong’s rule of law and further consolidate the city’s solid foundation of the rule of law, and contribute to the construction of the rule of law of the country.

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     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, led a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) delegation to attend the 3rd Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Health Cooperation Conference in Nansha, Guangzhou, today (November 10).

     Co-organised by the Health Commission of Guangdong Province, the Health Bureau of the HKSAR Government, the Health Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality, the Conference aims to promote exchanges and co-operation in the healthcare area in the GBA.

     Professor Lo said, “Under the theme of ‘Exceptional Beginning, Strategic Planning and High Quality’, participants of the three places discussed important issues including healthcare innovation development and service quality improvement at the Conference. The HKSAR Government will continue to foster co-operation with other cities in the GBA and achieve mutual benefits under the principles of ‘complementarity and mutual benefits’ and on the premise of benefitting the healthcare development of Hong Kong and these cities.”

     Professor Lo will continue to attend the Conference tomorrow morning (November 11) and conduct in-depth exchanges on the key issues outlined in the “The Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address”, such as developing Hong Kong into a health and medical innovation hub and further strengthening cross-boundary medical collaboration.

     Members of the Hong Kong delegation include the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; Deputy Secretary for Health Mr Sam Hui; the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan; and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko.

     Professor Lo will visit the Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone tomorrow afternoon. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, will be the Acting Secretary for Health.

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