Tag Archives: China

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has all along been committed to combating the sale of chilled or frozen meat disguised as fresh meat, and raided a licensed fresh provision shop (FPS) in Sha Tin District suspected of selling frozen meat as fresh meat today (April 12).

     During the operation, FEHD officers raided a licensed FPS at Wo Che Market in Sha Tin, and immediately destroyed around 227 kilograms of suspected frozen beef seized. Sample was also collected for detection of preservatives, and prosecutions will be initiated should there be sufficient evidence. The licensee of the FPS is suspected of breaching the licensing condition for the display and sale of frozen meat as fresh meat, and the FEHD is proceeding with the cancellation of the FPS’s licence.

     FEHD officers also initiated prosecution against the operator of the FPS for dirtiness of the premises. Verbal warning was also given to the operator for non-compliance with relevant licensing condition by failing to provide delivery notes for inspection.

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, “The selling of chilled meat or frozen meat disguised as fresh meat breaches the licensing condition and causes food safety problems. Also, the operation of these profiteers is unfair to other shops that comply with the requirements.”

     The spokesman added, “Anyone selling chilled or frozen meat without permission commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months’ imprisonment on conviction. The department will continue to conduct regular inspections at licensed FPSs and market meat stalls, and will actively handle the complaints received. In detecting any irregularities, the FEHD will carry out immediate investigations and take appropriate enforcement action. In addition, the FEHD also proactively investigates suspected violations from time to time and conducts surprise inspections and enforcement actions as necessary. If there is sufficient evidence, prosecutions will be initiated and follow-up action will be taken on any breach of licensing conditions or tenancy agreements. The licences of those FPSs breaching licensing conditions may be cancelled, while the tenancies of market meat stalls breaching tenancy agreements may be terminated.”

     The spokesman stressed that the FEHD is very concerned and has been committed to combating the sale of chilled or frozen meat disguised as fresh meat by taking stringent enforcement actions against the violations.

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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH) today (April 12) announces the root cause analysis report of a previous sentinel event:
 
     KWH announced a sentinel event on February 8 and appointed a Root Cause Analysis Panel to investigate the underlying cause of the incident and make recommendations. The panel has completed the investigation. The report has been submitted to the Hospital Authority Head Office.
 
     A 51-year-old male patient was admitted to the isolation ward of KWH due to shortness of breath on December 16, 2023. He was later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit due to septic shock and respiratory failure and required the support of a ventilator. His condition was critical. He was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis after an investigation. After receiving treatment, he was transferred to the isolation ward at around 2.30pm on February 5, 2024, to continue his treatment. The patient was conscious but still required the support of a ventilator.
 
     In order to ensure the patient’s safety, healthcare staff applied upper limb restrainer to secure the patient on the bed. The healthcare staff then checked the ventilator and other medical equipment and confirmed that they were in normal function, and then left the room at 3.20pm. The healthcare staff later entered the room again at 3.45pm to observe the patient’s condition and recorded the ventilator data. There was no abnormalities observed from the patient and the staff left at 3.55pm. At 4.40pm, when the healthcare staff entered the room for medical procedures, the ventilator tubes connected to the patient were found detached. The patient was unresponsive with no pulse. The healthcare staff immediately reconnected the ventilator tubes and performed resuscitation. The patient’s pulse recovered and was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. He is currently hospitalised in critical condition.
 
     After reviewing relevant information, the Panel believed that the ventilator tubing dislodgement was caused by the patient’s body movement, which is a known risk among ventilated patients. The investigation also confirmed that all the equipment involved, including the ventilator and the central monitoring system, was in order and functioned normally, except that there was no data transfer between the bedside monitor and the central monitor, which was believed to be caused by a disconnection between the two monitors.

     The Panel concluded that three factors existed in this sentinel event. The visual and audible alarms of the ventilator and the bedside monitor could not be detected by staff outside the isolation room when the double doors were closed. There was a lack of a clear cross-checking mechanism to ensure the normal functioning of monitoring equipment. There was a considerable distance between the central monitoring system and the nurse station, plus the central monitoring system simultaneously showing data from multiple life-supporting equipment, resulting in difficulties for healthcare staff to notice properly the real-time change in data and the disconnection between the bedside and central monitors.
 
     The panel made the following recommendations:
 

1. Improving alarm systems for ventilators and monitors, such as the use of an amplifier system and upgrading the alarming system to facilitate the monitoring;
2. Developing a cross-checking mechanism for life-supporting equipment and monitoring systems to ensure effective continuous patient monitoring;
3. Improving the design of user interface and positioning of the central monitoring system;
4. Considering using capnography monitoring to enhance close observation of ventilated patients; and
5. Raising medical staff’s alertness to medical devices and the related alarming system.

 
     KWH will implement the relevant recommendations to prevent similar incidents from happening again. The hospital has explained to family members the report’s findings and extended sincere apologies to them again.

     KWH has submitted the report to the Hospital Authority Head Office. The hospital also expressed gratitude to the panel. The membership of the panel is as follows:
 
Chairperson:
Dr Yan Wing-wa          
Consultant, Hyper-baric Oxygen Therapy Centre, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
 
Members:
Dr Yeung Yiu-cheong  
Deputy Chief of Service, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Princess Margaret Hospital
 
Dr Helen Yip                
Consultant, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital
 
Mr Li Chi-man               
Ward manager, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital
 
Ms Terry Ko                  
Department Operation Manager, Department of Medicine, North District Hospital
 
Dr Nicole Chau              
Senior Manager (Patient Safety & Risk Management), Hospital Authority read more

     Hong Kong Customs today (April 12) conducted an anti-illicit cigarette operation in Tuen Mun and shut down a suspected illicit cigarette storage centre. A total of about 1.1 million suspected illicit cigarettes with a total estimated market value of about $5.1 million and a duty potential of about $3.8 million were seized.
      
     Early this morning, Customs searched a suspicious metal hut in Tai Lam, Tuen Mun. After inspection, Customs officers seized a total of about 1.1 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside the metal hut and on a light goods vehicle nearby. A 38-year-old male driver who was suspected to be connected with the case was arrested at the scene and the light goods vehicle suspected to be used for storing and distributing illicit cigarettes was detained.
      
     An investigation is ongoing and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.
      
     Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multipronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.
      
     Customs reminds members of the public that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes. Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette 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).

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     The relevant legislation for the regulation of disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products will come into effect on April 22 (Monday, Earth Day), and the first six months following the implementation will be designated as an adaptation period. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 12) announced the arrangements for the adaptation period.
 
     At a briefing session today, the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui, said that since the passage of the relevant legislation by the Legislative Council last October, the EPD has been actively carrying out preparations and deployment plans for implementing the regulation. Upon the implementation of the new legislation, the EPD will adopt a progressive implementation model. During the six-month adaptation period, the EPD will arrange for staff to inspect relevant business premises, and will focus on promotion and education, as well as provide appropriate advice to help businesses to comply with the requirements under the new legislation. The EPD advises businesses to exhaust their stock of the regulated products within the adaptation period to avoid wastage, and source suitable alternatives as early as possible.
 
     During the adaptation period, EPD officers will not take enforcement actions against non-compliant businesses. At the early stage of the adaptation period, the EPD will arrange for staff to proactively inspect 20 000 eateries and 20 000 retail stores as well as hotels and guesthouses in Hong Kong, and focus on publicity and education work. At a later stage of the adaptation period, the EPD will arrange for staff to visit those businesses which were found not yet compliant with the legislation, explain to them again the requirements of the legislation and give advice and information to them, with a view to helping them comply with the regulation after the adaptation period.
 
     After the adaptation period, the priority of the EPD’s implementation approach will continue to be education. If businesses are still found not complying with the legislation, the EPD will look into their individual circumstances and difficulties, and appropriate measures such as education, advice or warnings will be taken accordingly. For businesses with repeated non-compliance records, enforcement actions will be taken after taking into consideration the actual circumstances.
 
     At the briefing session held today, the EPD briefed the press on a series of publicity and education work items for the trades and the public on the commencement of the new regulation and the readiness of the trades. Representatives from tableware suppliers and hotel toiletries suppliers were also invited to exhibit non-plastic disposable tableware products and hotel toiletries alternatives.
 
     In order to help the trade and the general public to understand the regulation, the EPD has started a series of publicity and education work, including visiting 20 000 small and medium-sized eateries, distributing sector-specific pamphlets to 11 000 retail companies and 1 800 hotels and guesthouses, holding around 50 sectoral training sessions, and launching the “Cut Plastic Use” thematic website (www.cuttheplastics.hk) with a dedicated page providing the hotel industry with information about suppliers of hotel toiletries alternatives and their products. The EPD also distributed Announcements in the Public Interest; promotional videos, posters and advertisements for relevant trades through various channels, as well as actively issused infographics via online platforms to clarify misunderstandings among the community to enhance public understanding of the regulation.
 
     In response to the catering trade’s concern on alternatives, the EPD has engaged the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency since January 2022 to establish the Green Tableware Platform (www.greentableware.hk) to assist the trade in procuring compliant alternatives. The EPD is revamping the system with the introduction of a unique QR code for every product registered on the Platform, with a view to facilitating the trade’s procurement. The suppliers could print the QR code on their products or products’ packaging for the trades to recognise them as registered products.
 
     Dr Chui said, “Plastic pollution has threatened the environment and ecology as well as human health. ‘Plastic reduction’ and ‘plastic-free’ have become an international consensus in recent years, and are also an international trend. Hong Kong also needs to keep up with the pace of being ‘plastic-free’. The legislation doesn’t target the general public, but only regulates the supply of products. There is no need for members of the public to worry about it. We will continue to help the trades adapt to the requirements of the new regulation, and appeal to members of the public to reduce the use of disposable plastic products, integrating the culture of ‘plastic-and-disposable-free’ into their daily lives.” read more

     The Digital Economy Summit (DES) 2024 has kicked off today (April 12) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) with the theme “Smarter Technovation for All: Forging a Sustainable Future”. The two-day Summit is expected to attract over 4,000 attendees from close to 40 countries/regions to listen to insights from over 100 renowned technology visionaries, industry pioneers and business leaders from home and abroad on how cutting-edge technologies and innovative applications are reshaping the urban landscape and modern digital economy from the perspectives of sustainability, connectivity, and resilience.
      
     Building on the resounding success of the previous edition, this year’s DES features an action-packed programme with eight thematic forums, examining a wide array of trending innovation and technology (I&T) topics and future developments in new quality productive forces, artificial intelligence (AI), business innovation, smart industrialisation and supply chain, smart mobility, new energy, smart finance, Web3.0, as well as smart living and inclusion.
      
     The DES commenced this morning with the opening remarks by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan. Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Ms Lu Xinning; Vice Minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China Mr Wang Song; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong; and the President of the China Internet Development Foundation, Ms Wang Xiujun, also officiated at the opening ceremony.
      
     At the Visionary Forum held this morning, technology leaders and renowned industry experts from different places exchanged views on how innovative technology enables cities’ rapid transformation to a digital-first and data-driven economy as well as a people-centric innovative ecosystem. Among them, Deputy Party-secretary of the CPC Hefei Municipal Committee, Mayor of Hefei Municipal People’s Government, Mr Luo Yunfeng, analysed how Hefei successfully harnessed technological innovation to drive high-quality development. The Global Cyber Security and Privacy Protection Officer of Huawei, Mr Sean Yang, focused on how to build a collaborative and trustworthy digital world, and the President of Alibaba Group, Strategic Development, Mr Chris Tung, shared his insights on how to build a better future by leveraging on cloud technologies and AI. The Chief Operating Officer, APJC of Cisco Systems, Mr Fernando Gil de Bernabe, elaborated on innovating for a securely connected future.
      
     Other keynote speakers at the Visionary Forum included the Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia MOVE, Ms Nadia Omer; Vice President of JD Logistics Mr Zhe Wenming; ASEAN Executive Director of Smart Cities Council, Mr Tay Kok-Chin; Head of Master Planning of Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, Mr Lukas Sokol; and Vice President and Head of Innovation, Asia Pacific, Visa, Mr Kunal Chatterjee.
      
     The Summit in the afternoon presented three parallel forums, namely the Smart Economy & Business Innovation Forum co-organised by various major chambers of Hong Kong, the Smart Industrialisation & Supply Chain Forum co-organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council and the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre, and the Energy, Environment & Mobility Forum co-organised by the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute and the Smart City Consortium. The three forums explored how businesses can prepare well for the next wave of technological innovation, how technology breakthroughs enhance efficiency in manufacturing and optimising supply chain operations, as well as how to leverage innovative technologies to unleash greater potential for smart mobility.
      
     The DES will continue tomorrow (April 13) with the Smart Finance Forum, in which the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, will deliver opening remarks. Prominent industry experts and trailblazers will delve into the latest groundbreaking developments in digital payments, AI, green finance and the Central Bank Digital Currency, as well as share their insights on policies, regulatory frameworks and green investment opportunities.
      
     Another three concurrent forums will be held tomorrow afternoon. The AI and Web3 Forum and the Living and Inclusion Forum will delve into the technological advancements brought about by the collaboration of AI, blockchain, and Web3.0, as well as how smart living and inclusive technologies can strengthen community development. The Elite Innovators Forum will explore the multi-faceted potential of data applications and will host the kick-off ceremony of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2024.
      
     This year, the Summit will be open to tertiary and secondary school students for the first time for them to participate in tomorrow’s afternoon sessions, enlightening youth on the latest advances and prospects of the digital economy and smart city at this I&T flagship event of Asia.
      
     The DES is jointly organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and Hong Kong Cyberport, with the China Internet Development Foundation as the supporting organisation. Details of the Summit are available on the event website www.digitaleconomysummit.hk.
      
     The ITIB organises the Business of Innovation and Technology Week in April, which includes the government-funded I&T signature events, the Digital Economy Summit and the InnoEX, as well as the inaugural Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference. The InnoEX will be held at the HKCEC from April 13 to 16, showcasing next-generation smart solutions and groundbreaking innovative technologies. The OGCIO will stage the large-scale Smart Hong Kong Pavilion to showcase more than 100 technology solutions including those developed by different government departments benefitting citizens’ daily lives.

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