The Government announced today (May 28) the reappointment of 54 members of the Chief Executive's Policy Unit (CEPU) Expert Group and the appointment of five new Expert Group members, with the term to be effective for one year starting from May 30, 2024.
 
     As an advisory body, the CEPU Expert Group was established in May 2023 and consists of members of different backgrounds including business, finance, professionals, think-tanks and academia to provide expert views and new ideas to the CEPU on various topics. To facilitate the work of the Expert Group and its conduct of more focused discussions, members of the Expert Group are assigned into three broad streams, namely the Economic Advancement Expert Group, the Social Development Expert Group and the Research Strategy Expert Group.
 
     The Head of the CEPU, Dr Stephen Wong, expressed his gratitude to the Expert Group members for their valuable insights and innovative ideas with a zeal for Hong Kong in their respective fields over the past year, and welcomed the new members on board. He said, "The CEPU and the Expert Group members maintained positive and efficient interactions over the past year. We have conducted four plenary meetings, three group meetings, and more than 20 individual meetings to consult the views of Expert Group members on various topics. The CEPU has also organised forums, seminars, sharing sessions, visits and more other activities to enhance the exchanges and interactions between CEPU and the Expert Group members.
 
     "I look forward to the Expert Group members working together in tendering expert views and new ideas for the longer-term development of Hong Kong in the coming year. The CEPU will also continue to reach out and tap into the views from all walks of life in society to assist the Government in forging 'A Vibrant Economy for a Caring Community'."
 
     For the details of the events of the Expert Group, please refer to the website of the CEPU:
(www.cepu.gov.hk/en/PUEG/expertGroup_events/expertGroup_events.html)
 
     The full membership of the Expert Group is as follows (listed in alphabetical order of surnames, with the new members marked in asterisk (*) ):

Economic Advancement Expert Group

Professor Ba Shusong*
Mrs Bonnie Chan Woo*
Dr Haywood Cheung
Mr Hong Xiaoyuan
Mr Peter Kung
Mr Adam Kwok
Mr Peter Lai
Mr David Lau
Dr Martin Lee
Ms Nisa Leung
Mr Laurence Li, SC
Mr Li Xiguang
Mr Dowson Tong
Mr Patrick Tsang
Dr Levin Wang
Mr Allen Yeung
Mr Samuel Yung
Mr Jonathan Zhu*
 
Social Development Expert Group

Mr Alan Chan
Dr Eugene Chan
Mr Kevin Chan
Mr Nicholas Chan
Mr Chen Shaobo
Mr Albert Lee
Mr Edward Liu
Ms Anthea Lo
Ms Lo Po-man
Mr Lo Wing-hung
Dr Lewis Luk
Dr Ma Jun
Dr Chloe Suen
Mr Tai Hay-lap
Dr Stephen Tai
Mr Tang Fei*
Mr Xu Lin

Research Strategy Expert Group

Professor Cai Hongbin
Professor Thomas Chan
Mr Chang Ka-mun
Professor Christopher Chao
Dr Francis Cheung
Dr Chow Man-kong
Dr Chow Pak-chin
Dr Guo Wanda
Professor Alfred Ho
Dr Henry Ho
Professor Huang Ping
Professor Lau Pui-king
Professor Lau Siu-kai
Professor Francis Lui
Professor Terry Lum
Professor Dennis Lo
Professor Mao Zhenhua
Professor Charles Ng
Professor Naubahar Sharif*
Dr Wang Fuqiang
Professor Richard Wong
Professor Wong Yuk-shan
Professor Xiao Geng
Professor Zheng Yongnian

     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 May 27 to noon today (May 28), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 245 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 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 54 596 samples of food imported from Japan (including 35 331 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 13 788 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     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 May 27 to noon today (May 28), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 245 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 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 54 596 samples of food imported from Japan (including 35 331 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 13 788 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

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 Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) Limited relating to phishing instant messages, 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 instant messages 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.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 is 106.2 (same as yesterday's index).