â€‹Hong Kong Customs detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (October 29). About 3.5 kilograms of suspected cocaine and about 2.5kg of suspected heroin, with a total estimated market value of about $6 million, were seized.

     The first case involved a 21-year-old male passenger who arrived in Hong Kong from Abuja, Nigeria, via Frankfurt, Germany, yesterday. During customs clearance, about 3.5kg of suspected cocaine were found concealed inside a false compartment of his check-in suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested. 

     The second case involved two male passengers, aged 22 and 19, who arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. During customs clearance, about 2.5kg of suspected heroin were found in 18 boxes of cookies inside their carry-on bags. The duo were subsequently arrested.

     Investigations of both cases are ongoing.

     Following the resumption of normal travel and exchanges with the Mainland and other parts of the world, the number of visitors to Hong Kong has also been increasing steadily. Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking 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).

    

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, met with a delegation led by the Director of the Sichuan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mr Tian Xingjun, today (October 30) to introduce the development of Chinese medicine (CM) in Hong Kong and discuss the deepening of co-operation on CM between Sichuan and Hong Kong.

     Professor Lo introduced to the delegation in particular the multiple policy initiatives in relation to the promotion of CM development as announced by the Chief Executive last week in the Policy Address. These initiatives include accelerating the promotion of testing and scientific research on, as well as informatisation of, CM through the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute; launching a Digitalised Chinese Medicines Information Platform; formulating a Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint in collaboration with the CM sector to outline the long-term strategies; strengthening the integrated Chinese-Western medicine services through extension to more hospitals and more disease areas; as well as promoting the establishment of a strategic co-operation mechanism between the first Chinese Medicine Hospital (CMH) in Hong Kong and a Mainland counterpart to support the commissioning and sustainable development of the CMH.

     Professor Lo emphasised, "CM plays an integral part in the healthcare system in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has all along been committed to driving the high-quality development of CM on all fronts. Among others, the Policy Address highlights the need to give full play to the strengths of the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute. The HKSAR Government aspires to research and develop internationally recognised reference standards for CM and related products, in addition to the transfer of technology to the CM industry for strengthening quality control. This will help establish the brand image of Hong Kong's CM drugs and develop the city into an international centre for CM testing and quality control, thus promoting the standardisation, modernisation and internationalisation of CM.

     "On the other hand, the HKSAR Government will continue to deepen CM collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland. In fact, Sichuan and Hong Kong have all along been engaged in numerous exchanges in CM fields such as CM talent nurturing, industry development as well as academic and scientific research. It is envisioned that Sichuan's advantages of CM resources and Hong Kong's role as an international CM platform can be further leveraged to reinforce co-operation among the CM institutions, organisations and enterprises of the two places.

     "The HKSAR Government will keep working closely with Mainland and international stakeholders to enhance exchanges and collaboration in the CM field under the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits. We will also utilise Hong Kong's traditional strengths in CM to bolster Hong Kong's vital role as the country's gateway to international markets to promote the inheritance, innovation and high-quality development of CM, thus rallying concerted efforts to build a 'Healthy Hong Kong' for integration into the nation's strategic planning of 'Healthy China'."

     The Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan; the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee; the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Tony Ko; Deputy Secretary for Health Mr Eddie Lee; and the Project Director of the CMH Project Office of the Health Bureau, Dr Cheung Wai-lun, also attended today's meeting.

    

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, and the Director of Hong Kong Talent Engage, Mr Anthony Lau, on the establishment of the Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) office at a media session after officiating at the HKTE Office Opening Ceremony this afternoon (October 30):

Reporter: It looks like that more and more Mainlanders are coming to Hong Kong through various talent drives in the past year, but not expatriates. What would you do to diversify or whether diversification of talents is on your agenda, Mr Lau?

Director of Hong Kong Talent Engage: Obviously Hong Kong is an international city. Of course talents from the Mainland are always welcomed, but I think we also need to promote ourselves to talents around the world, so we can get a good mix of talents coming to Hong Kong to flourish in different professions, and continue to ensure Hong Kong being a global international city.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: If you look at the figures from the past nine months of the Top Talent Pass Scheme, when you count those coming from outside the Mainland, i.e. either they studied overseas or came from overseas, it accounted for around 20 per cent. They might be Mainlanders, but they are overseas graduates, and some of them worked in overseas territories. If you look at the overall effect of talent admission schemes, we have been very successful in attracting quite a large number of people. Of course a majority are from the Mainland, but if you look at the absolute number – those from outside the Mainland, from overseas – it's still quite significant. It's a success for us. Thank you.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

          

     The nomination period for the 2023 District Council Ordinary Election, which began on October 17, ended at 5pm today (October 30). The Returning Officers for the 18 District Committees constituencies (DCCs) and 44 District Council geographical constituencies (DCGCs) received a total of 400 nomination forms during the nomination period, of which two were received today.

     The number of nomination forms received for each District Council is as follows:

 
     Particulars of the nominees received today will be available on the election website (www.elections.gov.hk/dc2023/eng/nomination.html).
 
     In addition, during the nomination period, a total of one notice of withdrawal of candidature was received by the Returning Officers. The nominee withdrew from the Tuen Mun East DCGC election.
 
     The Returning Officers will determine the order of names of candidates for the DCCs and DCGCs to be appeared on ballot papers and the allocation of the designated spots for display of election advertisements by drawing of lots at the Kowloon Park Sports Centre on November 8 (Wednesday). The District Council Eligibility Review Committee will, within 14 days after the close of nominations, publish in the Gazette a notice of validly nominated candidates for each constituency. A poll will be held on December 10 if the number(s) of validly nominated candidates for election exceed the number(s) of members to be returned for the constituency.
 
     The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) will hold a briefing for candidates at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium on November 13 (Monday). The EAC Chairman, Mr Justice David Lok, will chair and brief the candidates about the guidelines on election-related activities and important points to note in running their electioneering activities. A representative from the Independent Commission Against Corruption will explain the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance. A representative from Hongkong Post will explain the arrangement and requirements of the free postage service for election mail. Representatives from the Registration and Electoral Office and the Department of Justice will also be present.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients confirmed as having Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in a medicine and rehabilitation ward, the spokesperson for Tung Wah Eastern Hospital gave the following update today (October 30):
 
     The hospital has conducted screening and confirmed four more male patients (aged 80 to 93) as carriers of CPE. They are being treated in isolation and are in stable condition.
 
     The ward concerned will continue to adopt the following enhanced infection control measures:
1. Enhanced patient and environmental screening procedures;
2. Continuing to apply stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients; and
3. Enhanced cleaning and disinfection for the environment and facilities of the ward.
 
     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation in the ward concerned. The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.