Following is the speech by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, at the Hong Kong Talent Engage Office Opening Ceremony today (October 30):

尊敬的葉劉淑儀議員（行政會議�官守議員�集人�立法會議員）���嘉賓���朋�����事︰
 
　　大家好。今日很開心與大家共�一堂，出席「香港人��務辦公室�開幕禮。
 
　　香港�去雖然經歷了「黑暴�和世紀疫情，但憑�自身深厚根基，在「一國兩制�下集�中國優勢和環�優勢，作為人�之都的地��然穩固。
 
　　為了增強香港發展動能，本屆政府大膽創新，制定出一系列「�人��措施，包括去年年底�立「人��務窗��線上平��新設「高端人�通行證計劃�，並就多項�行人�入境計劃「拆牆鬆��，主動�極從世界�地��人�來港。
 
　　我們的�績有目共�。今年首�個月，�項輸入人�計劃已共收到約�六�宗申請，當中超���宗�批。約六��人�至今已�批簽證來港，數字�超我們所定的KPI（績效指標），��年引入至少三�五��人�。
 
　　隨�越來越多的人�來港，行政長官在上星期發表任內第二份《施政報告》，宣布�立實體「人��務辦公室�。辦公室今日正�投入�作，正正是我們�力「�人��留人��的�一個里程碑。
 
　　辦公室將會本��助人�在香港長線發展為工作目標，����人�群組制定招攬和宣傳策略，並與政府內地和海外辦事處轄下的「招商引�專組��作，�極�外推廣香港，�引更多人�來港大展拳腳。
 
　　辦公室亦會主動招攬�作夥伴，��線上線下活動和�務，為有�來港�或剛抵埗的人�，在生活�工作��女教育等�方�作出�切支�，讓他們更好�應香港環境。
 
　　環顧全�，人�爭奪戰�然激烈。今年《施政報告》�下一城，繼續全力貫徹「�人��留人��，多項措施包括擴大「高端人�通行證計劃�大學�單�放寬簽證 ，以至為外來人�的置業�花稅實施「先�後徵�措施等。
 
　　我充滿信心，「香港人��務辦公室�連��項「�人��留人��措施，將有助引領香港�為國際人�樞�，為國家高質�發展作出新貢�。
 
     Now, may I say a few words in English. Today's opening of the Hong Kong Talent Engage office marks a new milestone of the current-term Hong Kong Government's all-out effort to attract talent from around the world. 
 
     Our effort made last year includes not only enhancement to various existing talent admission schemes, but also a newly introduced Top Talent Pass Scheme that targets high-income professionals and graduates from top-notch universities. 
 
     Our effort further includes the launch of an online platform for Hong Kong Talent Engage to facilitate talent's understanding of our city, and enrolment for their interested admission schemes. 
 
     The results so far have been very encouraging. In the first nine months since our new measures were introduced, we received some 160 000 applications in total under our various talent admission schemes. 
 
     Over 100 000 of the applications have been approved, and around 60 000 talents have got their visas approved to come to Hong Kong. In other words, we have far exceeded our KPI (key performance indicator) of drawing at least 35 000 talents per year.  
 
     As the Chief Executive announced in his second Policy Address last week, the Hong Kong Government will open the physical office of Hong Kong Talent Engage.  
 
     That is alongside some other new measures, like expanding the coverage of universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme, in a bid to further expand Hong Kong's talent pool. 
 
     Our Hong Kong Talent Engage office will launch publicity, and offer "one-stop-shop" support, to attract talent and facilitate their settlement, together with their family members, in our city. 
 
     The office will also partner with different organisations, as well as the Dedicated Teams for Attracting Businesses and Talents under the Government's Mainland and overseas offices, to get the needed information and services for the incoming talent.   
 
     I have every confidence that, together with our various targeted measures, the Hong Kong Talent Engage office will help strengthen our city's status as an international talent hub and, in turn, contribute to the motherland's high-quality development. 
 
     On that note, I wish you all the best of business, and health, in the year to come. Thank you.

      

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, officiated at the Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) Office Opening Ceremony this afternoon (October 30) and witnessed with leaders of various trades and partners the official establishment of HKTE, a new milestone of the Government's endeavours to trawl for and retain talent.

     Addressing the opening ceremony, Mr Chan said, "To create strong impetus for Hong Kong's growth, the current-term Government boldly and innovatively formulated an array of measures to trawl for talent. They included the establishment of the HKTE online platform, the newly introduced Top Talent Pass Scheme, and enhancements to various existing talent admission schemes by the end of last year to proactively attract talent around the world to Hong Kong.

     "Our results speak for themselves. In the first nine months of this year, some 160 000 applications in total were received under the various talent admission schemes, with over 100 000 of them approved. Around 60 000 talents so far have had their visas approved to come to Hong Kong, far exceeding our key performance indicator of drawing at least 35 000 talents per year."

     Mr Chan added that "The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address" fully adopted the prevailing strategy of trawling for and retaining talent. Further measures were rolled out, including expanding the coverage of universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme, relaxing visa requirements, and introducing a stamp duty suspension arrangement for incoming talent acquisition of residential properties. He stressed he had full confidence that HKTE, together with the array of measures to trawl for and retain talent, would help develop Hong Kong into an international talent hub and make new contributions to the country's high-quality development.

     Mr Chan; the Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council, Mrs Regina Ip; the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun; the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau; the Director-General of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, Mr Philip Yung; the Deputy Secretary for Labour and Welfare (Manpower), Ms Angelina Kwan; and the Director of HKTE, Mr Anthony Lau, jointly officiated at the launching ceremony, which marked the official commencement of the HKTE's operation.

     In addition, invited talent from the Mainland and overseas shared at the opening ceremony their experiences of pursuing their careers in Hong Kong as well as their insights into the city's future development. Also attending the opening ceremony today included Legislative Council members and representatives of advisory bodies, the business sector, professional associations, non-governmental organisations and the HKTE's designated partners.

     "The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address" announced the establishment of HKTE, which serves as the designated agency to formulate talent attraction strategies and provide support services for talent in Hong Kong. HKTE will aim at assisting talent in their long-term development in Hong Kong and formulate targeted recruitment and publicity strategies for different talent groups. HKTE will also collaborate with the Dedicated Teams for Attracting Businesses and Talents under the Government's Mainland Offices and overseas Economic and Trade Offices in carrying out proactive external promotions of Hong Kong, so as to attract more talent to come to Hong Kong to pursue development.

     Furthermore, HKTE will reach out to recruit partners for rendering appropriate support, through physical and online activities as well as services, to those talent interested in coming to Hong Kong or those who have just arrived in the city for their living, work, children's education, etc to facilitate their settlement. HKTE will also keep in touch with those talent who have arrived in Hong Kong to understand their development and needs in Hong Kong, so as to gather useful references for policy review and adjustment of support services in future.

     HKTE is located on 12/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai. Apart from visiting the office in person, incoming talent or those interested in coming to Hong Kong to pursue development can view its website (www.hkengage.gov.hk) or make enquiries with HKTE via email (enquiry@hkengage.gov.hk), LinkedIn or WeChat. Talent from around the world can also learn more about the details of the Government's various talent admission schemes through the Dedicated Teams for Attracting Businesses and Talents under the Government's Mainland Offices and overseas Economic and Trade Offices.

          

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority.

     The spokesman for Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital made the following announcement today (October 30):
 
     Three patients (aged 61 to 76) in a male psychogeriatric ward have presented with respiratory symptoms since October 23. Appropriate viral tests had been arranged for the patients concerned and their test results were positive for Respiratory Syncytial Virus. The patients concerned are being treated in isolation and are in stable condition.
 
     Limited admission to the ward has been imposed. Infection control measures have already been stepped up according to established guidelines. All other patients in the ward are under close surveillance.
 
     The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow up.

     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, briefed members of the Trade and Industry Advisory Board on initiatives related to commerce and trade in "The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address" at a meeting today (October 30).
 
     Mr Yau said that while there was a strong rebound in the middle of this year following the full resumption of normalcy early this year, Hong Kong's economy is still facing a lot of challenges due to the change in the demand for goods affected by the external environment and interest rate hikes. In this connection, the Chief Executive has outlined a range of measures in the Policy Address to boost Hong Kong's economy and support businesses, with a view to enhancing Hong Kong's overall competitiveness.
 
     Stressing that the Government is committed to supporting enterprises, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), so as to help them secure a firm footing amid the difficult and volatile environment, Mr Yau briefed the members on various measures for supporting SMEs in addressing the challenges.
 
     The application period of the principal moratorium arrangement under the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme ended last month, and some enterprises have already resumed normal repayment, with the principal moratorium arrangement of the remaining loans expiring gradually by the end of next year. Having regard to the cash flow situations of different enterprises, the Government will provide more flexible repayment options so that enterprises may choose to repay only 10 per cent, 20 per cent or 50 per cent of the original principal amount payable each month during the specified period, enabling them to have more time to gradually switch to normal repayment.
 
     The Government will also establish the E-commerce Development Task Force to implement policies assisting SMEs in developing e-commerce business, such as organising Hong Kong Shopping Festivals on e-commerce platforms and launching "E-commerce Easy" under the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales to provide funding support for SMEs' implementation of e-commerce projects, with a view to promoting brand awareness of Hong Kong products for developing the Mainland domestic sales market.
 
     In addition, the Government suggested raising the statutory cap on the contingent liability of the Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation (ECIC) from $55 billion to $80 billion to enhance its underwriting capacity. The ECIC will also upgrade its free credit check services for policyholders regarding buyers from the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, giving exporters more confidence in accepting overseas orders.
 
     Mr Yau highlighted that the Government will proactively explore emerging markets to create impetus for Hong Kong's economic growth by organising promotional programmes and networking sessions, business missions to Belt and Road countries and visits to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for overseas enterprises operating in Hong Kong. The Government will also set up additional offices for business and trade along the Belt and Road to strengthen trade promotional efforts in emerging countries. Hong Kong at the same time will continue to seek to forge free trade agreements and investment promotion and protection agreements with more economies.
 
     Meanwhile, Mr Yau updated the members on the Government's work on attracting enterprises and investment. The Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises set up last year has reached out to over 200 enterprises, of which 30 are planning to establish their foothold or expand their operations in Hong Kong. A total of about $30 billion of new investment is involved. In the first nine months of this year, Invest Hong Kong assisted over 300 Mainland and overseas enterprises in establishing or expanding their operations in Hong Kong, representing an increase of more than 25 per cent over the same period last year.
 
     Mr Yau said that despite the difficulties facing the global economy, Hong Kong will be able to overcome the challenges with its strong resilience and adaptability, and will also better integrate into the national development, to enable the economy to move forward.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited relating to fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens, which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the websites or login screens concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.