The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, today (March 5) continued his visit to Fuzhou, Fujian.

     Accompanied by the Director of Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE), Mr Anthony Lau, Mr Sun paid a courtesy call on Deputy Director of the Fujian Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security Mr Hong Changchun this morning and exchanged views on endeavours to attract and support outside talent. Mr Sun outlined the achievements of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government's policy initiatives to attract and retain talent with a view to raising competitiveness. HKTE is committed to attracting talent from the Mainland and overseas, providing one-stop support services to assist them for long-term settlement in the city. HKTE will organise the Global Talent Summit and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area High-quality Talent Development Conference in May, aiming to promote Hong Kong's advantages as an international talent hub and enabling the flow of talent among the cities of the Greater Bay Area.

     Mr Sun and other officials then called on Deputy Director General of the Fujian Provincial Department of Civil Affairs Mr Ouyang Xiaobo to learn more about the elderly service planning in Fujian and explore how to cope with challenges in long-term care services amid an ageing population. Mr Sun said that Guangdong and Fujian are closely connected with Hong Kong on the social, economic and transport fronts, and most Hong Kong elderly persons retiring on the Mainland reside in these two provinces. The HKSAR Government currently implements various portable cash assistance measures, covering the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance as well as the Old Age Allowance and Old Age Living Allowance under the Social Security Allowance Scheme. As of end-January 2024, about 25 500 and 2 500 Hong Kong elderly persons residing in Guangdong Province and Fujian Province have benefitted from the relevant measures respectively.

     Prior to his departure, Mr Sun called on the Party Secretary and Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office and Director General of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People's Government of Fujian Province, Mr Li Lin, at a lunch gathering this afternoon and updated him on the latest developments in Hong Kong's labour, manpower and welfare policies, before returning to Hong Kong with his delegation.

      

      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 March 4 to noon today (March 5), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 137 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 34 204 samples of food imported from Japan (including 22 943 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 9 574 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 5) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Dallas County in the State of Missouri in the United States (US), the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 37 770 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 83.84 million poultry eggs from the US last year.

     "The CFS has contacted the American authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (March 5) attended the opening meeting of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC).
      
     The second session of the 14th NPC commenced in Beijing this morning, during which Premier Li Qiang delivered the government work report. Mr Lee attended the opening meeting in his capacity as the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
      
     Premier Li reviewed in the government work report the work in 2023. He also outlined the overall requirements and policy direction for economic and social development and major tasks of the government in 2024.
      
     Premier Li reiterated that we should continue to fully, faithfully and resolutely implement the principle of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy in the HKSAR, maintaining the constitutional order and implementing the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong". He said he supported Hong Kong in strengthening the economy and improving people's livelihood, and leveraging the city's strengths and characteristics to actively participate in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, with a view to better integrating into the overall national development and maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. Premier Li also expressed his support in the government report for regions with advantages in economic development, including the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, to better play their role as power sources for high-quality development.
      
     Mr Lee said he was most encouraged, adding that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. It is a crucial year for achieving the targets laid out in the 14th Five-Year Plan and is of great significance to the practice of "one country, two systems". Mr Lee said that with the guidance and support of the Central Government, the HKSAR Government will continue to fully, faithfully and resolutely implement the principles of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy, and give full play to the power and value of "patriots administering Hong Kong" and unite all walks of life, sparing no efforts in pursuing economic growth and improving people's livelihood. It will also fully grasp the immense opportunities brought to Hong Kong by such national strategies as the 14th Five-Year Plan, the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Belt and Road Initiative, actively integrating into the overall national development and enhancing international competitiveness.
      
     Mr Lee said, "During the 'two sessions', deputies to the NPC and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) will scrutinise and discuss the government work report respectively. I appeal to the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC to proactively fulfil their duties and responsibilities and continue to put forward more constructive suggestions and proposals to play an active role in their work. I wish the 'two sessions' every success."

    

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, at a media session after opening ceremony of the World Customs Organization 6th Global Canine Forum today (March 5):
 
Reporter: Different organisations have called for clarity on certain articles, would the Government consider giving clearer definitions on certain articles as the different associations have called for? What is the Government's next plan for the legislation? Would you share with us the timetable?
 
Secretary for Security: Alright. So our next step will be to consolidate the consultation result, and then we are going to report to the Panel on Security and Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services joint meeting. It will then be followed by other legislative procedures. We are clear about different opinions on whether some of the definitions can be clearer and have more details. We will include all those opinions and see how we can enhance the legislation. Thank you very much.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)