Tag Archives: China

image_pdfimage_print

11th Asia and Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of Prosecutors commences in Hong Kong (with photos)

     The 11th Asia and Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP), co-hosted by the IAP and the Department of Justice, officially commenced today (November 28) in Hong Kong, gathering around 240 participants, including local and overseas esteemed guests, senior government officials, legal professionals and experts, for the opening ceremony.

     The three-day conference, with related programmes starting yesterday, is themed “Effective Prosecution Service in the Technological Age” and has drawn about 140 participants from around 30 jurisdictions, underscoring the global commitment to combating technology crimes. The conference aims to address the challenges posed by the rapid evolution of technology in criminal activities and to enhance the ability of prosecutors to advance evidence against such criminals.

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee; the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC; and the First Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of the People’s Republic of China, Class One Grand Prosecutor and Vice-President of the IAP, Mr Tong Jianming, delivered their welcome speeches today at the opening ceremony, marking the beginning of a series of discussions and exchanges focused on strengthening international efforts against technology-related crimes. The keynote speech was delivered by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Maggie Yang.

     Hong Kong previously held the IAP Regional Conference in 2004, and subsequently the Annual Conference and General Meeting in 2007. Nearly two decades later, Hong Kong continues to commit to combating crimes under its common law system preserved by the “one country, two systems” principle. As new technologies have emerged in recent years, the world is facing unprecedented challenges posed by technology crimes. The conference provides participants with an opportunity to share knowledge and experiences to stay ahead of cybercriminals and enhance prosecutorial capabilities.

     The conference will cover a range of pertinent topics, including the challenges posed by decentralisation in the technological age, the handling of digital evidence, and the impact of technological advancements on criminal evidence and procedure today and tomorrow (November 29). Prosecutors at home and abroad will have the opportunity to exchange views and best practices, fostering a united and determined front against technology crime.

Photo  Photo  Photo  Photo  
read more

Inspection of aquatic products imported from Japan

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on November 27 to noon today (November 28), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 97 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 102 512 samples of food imported from Japan (including 65 919 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 23 014 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more