Today (April 15) is National Security Education Day. The Security Bureau (SB) and its eight disciplined services and auxiliary services held various activities this year in line with the theme "10th anniversary of a Holistic Approach to National Security" to deepen the public's understanding of the work of the services in safeguarding national security and to enhance their awareness of the responsibility in safeguarding national security.

     The SB and its disciplined services jointly held a flag-raising ceremony at the Hong Kong Police College this morning, with the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, officiating at it. The ceremony started with a music performance by the Hong Kong Police Band, followed by a march-in of the disciplined services ceremonial guard. The Police flag party then marched into the venue and conducted the flag-raising ceremony with the playing and singing of the national anthem. The flag-raising ceremony was broadcast live via Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) TV 32, as well as the social media platforms of the SB and its disciplined services and auxiliary services, and more.

     Addressing the ceremony, Mr Chan said that national security is the foundation for prosperity and stability in society, as well as the well-being of the people. With the promulgation and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, its effect in stopping violence and curbing disorder as well as quickly restoring social stability in the Hong Kong community was immediate. With the concerted efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the Legislative Council and all sectors of the community, the HKSAR fulfilled its constitutional duty by completing the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law this year to improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security.

     Noting that national security education and patriotic education go hand in hand, Mr Chan said that the HKSAR Government will work with the newly established Working Group on Patriotic Education under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee chaired by him, and will rally support from all quarters to leverage forces in four areas, namely school education; local community; history, politics, economy and culture; and media publicity, to endeavour to promote patriotic education, as well as the mainstream values characterised by patriotism with an affection for the country and Hong Kong and in conformity with the principle of "one country, two systems", with a view to enhancing the national identity and appreciation of the richness and beauty of traditional Chinese culture among the people of Hong Kong, especially the young generation.

     After the flag-raising ceremony, Mr Chan officiated at the Safeguarding National Security Cup awards presentation ceremony to commend the SB and its disciplined services and auxiliary services for holding the Safeguarding National Security Cup sports competitions, allowing participants to showcase their vitality and unity through such sports as badminton, tug of war, basketball, triathlon and floor curling, while raising their awareness of promoting national security at the same time.

     Apart from the flag-raising ceremony, the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, today also attended other national security education activities, including the National Security Education Day Opening Ceremony cum Seminar held by the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. He also showed his support for community efforts in promoting national security education by delivering keynote speeches at the seminar on national security organised by the Federation of Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organisations, and the online seminar on national security hosted by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, as well as officiating at National Security Education Day 2024 held by the Hong Kong Island Federation.

     Furthermore, the Territory-wide Inter-school National Security Knowledge Challenge, jointly organised by the SB, the Department of Justice, the Education Bureau and the Hong Kong Shine Tak Foundation for the first time, received overwhelming support from teachers and students. Over 102 000 students from 585 secondary and primary schools participated in the Challenge. A 30-minute programme featuring the highlights of the finals and the award presentation ceremony will be broadcast at 9.30pm today on HOY Infotainment.

     To support National Security Education Day, the disciplined services and auxiliary services of the SB held open days during the past weekend, attracting a large number of people to join. Diversified activities included Chinese-style foot drill, tactics and rescue drills, displays of firearms and equipment, and game booths. Mr Tang visited the open days one by one to encourage members of the services to keep up their good work in resolutely safeguarding national security.

                  

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, at the First Anniversary Ceremony of Smart Mobility Technology (C-V2X) Alliance today (April 15):

Sunny (Board Chairman of Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI), Mr Sunny Lee), Denis (Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI, Dr Denis Yip), distinguished guests, friends and speakers, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good afternoon everyone. Having witnessed the birth of the Smart Mobility Technology (C-V2X) Alliance last year, it gives me great pleasure to be here again today to celebrate the first anniversary of the Alliance.
      
     I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to ASTRI for building this platform, which brings together policymakers, industry leaders and stakeholders to discuss the future of Hong Kong's smart mobility landscape.
      
     Since the release of the Smart City Blueprint (Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong) in 2017, as well as the Blueprint 2.0 (Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong 2.0) in 2020, the Government has never ceased its efforts in advancing smart city initiatives. We have also made significant progress in the past few years. 
      
     Take autonomous vehicle (AV) technology as an example, it not only offers the advantages of eliminating human errors and preventing driving misconduct, but also opens a new window of opportunity for better assimilation of different traffic rules in Hong Kong. The driving systems in Hong Kong and the Mainland differ in terms of left- and right-hand driving, as well as traffic regulations. Without the presence of drivers on board, AVs are no longer bound by some of the restrictions imposed on conventional drivers and can accommodate different driving rules and systems, thereby contributing to the integration of driving modes between the Mainland and Hong Kong, and the traffic plying between the two areas.
      
     I had the privilege of riding on board different AVs in various cities of our motherland since I took up this role in the middle of 2022, including Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Hangzhou. I have always been impressed by their performance.
      
     Today, autonomous driving is still an emerging technology that requires further study and testing in our city. And public awareness and acceptance are part and parcel to the long-term development of the new technology. Currently, there are already quite a few AV trials taking place in different locations across the territory, for example, university campuses, residential areas, the Science Park, as well as the West Kowloon Cultural District, and ASTRI is one of the key drivers.

     I have once said that the focus of autonomous driving in Mainland China is on taxi, and my thinking is very different for Hong Kong. If I apply autonomous driving in Hong Kong, I would like to use it on a minibus. For a double-decker bus without any driver, it may cast doubt because a double-decker bus is quite a big vehicle, but for a minibus that serves about 10 to 20 passengers, probably this is the middle way that we are more comfortable with. From my previous work experience with the MTR, as I work closely with the MTR before, an MTR train without drivers, when first introduced in a decade ago, made people nervous. So at that time, we placed a human being in the driving cabin, but actually that human being does not serve any driving purpose. It is just for public announcement purpose, but people are quite comfortable as long as they see a man or woman standing there.

     Despite the efforts from the industry, the Government has paved the way for wider and more flexible trials and application of AVs in Hong Kong by introducing a new regulatory regime for trial and use of AVs last December, and the new framework came into effect just last month. 
      
     This marks a key milestone of the Government's continued efforts in promoting smart mobility and demonstrates our great ambition and strong commitment to further application and adoption of autonomous vehicles in Hong Kong. 

     On top of policy guidance and regulatory framework, the Government has also been providing funding support to R&D (research and development) institutions and the academia, as well as enterprises through the $1 billion Smart Traffic Fund for conducting research and application of innovation and technology, including autonomous driving and related technologies since 2021. So far, there are eight approved projects related to autonomous driving and V2X (vehicle-to-everything) technology. We will continue to provide staunch support to academia and the industry to keep autonomous driving and V2X technologies thriving. And I am very much looking forward that the citizens of Hong Kong will have the opportunity to take a trial ride on one of the test AVs by the end of this year. And this is a promise that I keep on saying, by the end of this year we should be able to offer one of the trial rides for passengers to ride on the bus or the minibus that we are testing.

     In addition, the Government has proposed under the ongoing Traffic and Transport Strategy Study to further promote the development of AVs in Hong Kong. Fulfilling this potential will require close collaboration between the Government and various stakeholders ranging from the industry, academia and the research sector – that is, every one of you. I appeal to your active participation and unfailing support in developing and deploying autonomous driving and V2X technologies in Hong Kong. Your contribution means a lot to us, and this is why a professional network like the Smart Mobility Technology (C-V2X) Alliance is of great value and significance. By bringing together leading experts and industry leaders, the Alliance provides an invaluable platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and problem solving. You are the driving force behind the breakthroughs that will make the future of smart mobility a reality in Hong Kong.
      
     I am also pleased to learn that the findings of the Connected & Autonomous Vehicle Development Study in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) will be announced today. Hong Kong and the rest of the GBA are poised to create unstoppable momentum towards a smart and sustainable future, unleashing the true potential of a leading smart city in the world. 
      
     Next year, we will be promulgating a long-term strategy blueprint which will outline our vision for Hong Kong's transportation landscape up to 2050. We will continue to keep abreast of the global technological development in respect of AVs and V2X, and I am confident that Hong Kong will remain at the forefront of the global smart mobility transformation.
      
     As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, realising our vision requires the concerted efforts from every one of you. Together, let's keep tapping into the new frontiers of smart mobility while continuously maintaining the excellence of Hong Kong's world-renowned transport system.

     Ladies and gentlemen, the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) Government has promulgated the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles "港車北上" since last July, and we are mapping the way forward for the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles "粵車å�—下". I have a dream. One day, all the two schemes will be extended to autonomous vehicles, which means that integration with our motherland is not only for the people, but will be extended to vehicles as well. I am an engineer by training and I have been practicing engineering for over four decades. I fully appreciate the difficulties and complexity for this kind of task, which involves interoperability across the border. I will count on all the intelligent brains in front of me to get the work done and to turn my dream true, and I believe this should not be long.
      
     Lastly, I wish that all of you will enjoy the event today. Thank you.

  

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 a fraudulent website and an internet banking login screen, 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 website or internet banking login screen 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.

     Ikuto Bowls Lab Limited and its directors were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of the requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its directors pleaded guilty at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (April 15) and were fined a total sum of $102,200.

     The company wilfully and without reasonable excuse contravened the requirement of the EO, failing to pay four employees' wages within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods, as well as one employee's statutory holiday pay and annual leave pay within statutory time limit totalling about $135,000. The two directors concerned were prosecuted and convicted for their consent, connivance or neglect in the above wage offences.

     "The ruling will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay employees' wages, statutory holiday pay and annual leave pay within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO," a spokesman for the LD said.

     "The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

     The Lands Department (LandsD) announced today (April 15) that it registered eight lease modifications and two land exchanges in the Land Registry during the quarter ending March 2024, of which two were modifications of a technical nature involving nil premium.

     Among these 10 land transactions, three are located on Hong Kong Island, five are in Kowloon and two are in the New Territories. The transactions exclude Small House cases.

     A further three lots were granted by private treaty during the period. Two were granted to the Hong Kong Housing Authority for public housing developments in Sheung Shui and Cheung Sha Wan; and the other one was granted to the Urban Renewal Authority for residential development in Kowloon City.

     There were no lot extensions registered during the quarter.

     The above land transactions realised a total land premium of about $436.553 million.

     Transaction records of the lease modifications, land exchanges, private treaty grants and lot extensions, including those registered recently, are uploaded to the LandsD website (www.landsd.gov.hk/en/land-disposal-transaction/land-transaction.html) on a monthly basis. Details of the transactions may be obtained by searching the registered documents in the Land Registry.