Following is the speech by the Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services), Ms Salina Yan, at the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies (EFFAS) Asia Summit on Pioneering Sustainability Policy and Regulatory Development today (March 4):
 
Dr Zaballos (Chairperson of the EFFAS, Dr Jesús López Zaballos), Anthony (Vice Chairman and Convenor of Green Finance of Friends of the Earth (HK), Mr Anthony Cheung), ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests,
 
     It is my great pleasure to join you at the inaugural Asia Summit of the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies (EFFAS). A warm welcome to the distinguished EFFAS delegation from Europe. Surely you have chosen the right place and the right time for the event focusing on Sustainability Policy and Regulatory Development.
 
     Hong Kong has indeed placed sustainability at the core of our policy formulation and regulatory considerations. We are committed to the goal of achieving net zero before 2050. Last week, our Financial Secretary (FS) unveiled the HKSAR Government Budget for the coming financial year. It contains visionary initiatives to provide solutions to move towards that goal.
 
     Notably, on green shipping, we are conducting a feasibility study on providing green-methanol bunkering for local and ocean-going vessels. On green aviation, we will simplify procedures for the transportation and storage of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and will look into policy and measures for the development of SAF. We will persist in popularising the use of green vehicles. The first hydrogen powered bus has recently hit the road here.
 
     Of course, Hong Kong as an international financial centre with its deep capital markets and world class financial services practitioners, is in an excellent position to direct capital towards sustainable projects in Asia and beyond.
 
     Testifying to our role as Asia's sustainable finance hub, a market report showed that over one third of Asia's green and sustainable bonds were arranged through the Hong Kong bond market platform. As the FS pointed out in his Budget speech, we will keep up our efforts in issuing Government green and sustainable bonds denominated in different currencies, and will cast the net of issuance support wider to cover transition loans and bonds.
 
     We will enrich that ecosystem by harnessing the technology advantage and market forces. We have already issued two tranches of tokenised government green bonds, with the last one in early February being in digitally native format without the need of conversion through traditional central securities depositories. We will soon launch a proof-of-concept scheme to match start up green fintech ideas with application scenarios in the market. Meanwhile, the Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group has launched a prototype Hong Kong Green Fintech Map. This directory of relevant companies in Hong Kong will help corporates and financial firms identify green fintech solutions which meet their business needs. And Core Climate, the carbon marketplace established under our Stock Exchange, is striving to establish Hong Kong as a global market for high-quality voluntary carbon credits, capturing also developments in the Mainland carbon credit space.
 
     On disclosure, we are formulating a roadmap on the appropriate adoption of the standards issued by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and will work with our regulators to assist enterprises not only in complying with sustainability reporting requirements but providing the data for analysis and better science in the combat against climate change.
 
     Above all these, there is no doubt that people and talents form the most important pillar in taking the sustainability efforts forward.
 
     As we strive towards a greener and more sustainable future, it is crucial to nurture a skilled talent pool that can effectively navigate the complexities of both the financial system and the world in quest of sustainability. Hence, my heartfelt congratulations to all the graduates of the Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA) Programme present today. Your determination to dive deep into the subject of ESG analysis should be complimented.
 
     I am glad to know that the CESGA Programme is one of the eligible programmes under the Pilot Green and Sustainable Finance Capacity Building Support Scheme. It is good to see such partnership in capacity building for pushing forward the sustainability frontier.
 
     Last week, the Hong Kong Green Week covering a wide range of relevant topics was successfully conducted in partnership with key international players such as the International Finance Corporation and IMF (International Monetary Fund). Today, I am glad to see the continuation of that dialogue with experts and thought leaders from different quarters. I congratulate again EFFAS for initiating the Asia Summit. Acknowledgement is also due for the support of Friends of the Earth and HKU iCube in this endeavour. I wish the event every success and a rewarding afternoon for all. Thank you. 

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, arrived in Beijing this afternoon (March 4) and began his visit programme.

     Mr Lee and the accompanying officials first called on the Ministry of Finance and met with the Minister of Finance, Mr Lan Fo'an, to exchange views on various issues, including enhancing financial co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong, and consolidating Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre.

     Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Finance for its continued support for the financial policies of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. Noting that the Ministry of Finance has issued Renminbi (RMB) sovereign bonds in Hong Kong for 15 consecutive years, Mr Lee said that it clearly demonstrates the sustained support from the country for Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre and a global offshore RMB business hub, and is conducive to promoting the development of Hong Kong's bond market and attracting more international capital.

     Mr Lee said that the HKSAR Government will continue to encourage local governments on the Mainland to issue offshore RMB bonds and green bonds in Hong Kong, and to utilise Hong Kong's financial system and professional services that are in line with international standards to promote the internationalisation of RMB and the green transition of economies, with a view to promoting high-quality national development.

     Afterwards, Mr Lee attended a ceremony on the signing of co-operation documents by the National Health Commission (NHC), the Health Bureau and the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC). He witnessed the signing of two co-operation documents between the HKJC and the NHC, namely the Memorandum of Understanding Between the National Health Commission and The Hong Kong Jockey Club on a National Capacity Building Programme for Human Resources for Health, and the Collaboration Agreement Between the National Health Commission and The Hong Kong Jockey Club on a Scholarship-cum-fellowship for Top Talent in the Mainland. He also witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Health Bureau of the Government of the HKSAR and The Hong Kong Jockey Club on a Local Programme for Infectious Disease Prevention and Preparedness.

     As announced in "The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address", the HKJC would provide a funding of $3 billion to support the enhancement of local capacity in surveillance, early warning and prevention and control of emerging communicable diseases; to strengthen the joint disease prevention and control as well as manpower training with the Mainland authorities; and to promote, through a local university, international co-operation in scientific research in areas such as vaccines.

     "The signing ceremony held today marks an important milestone for medical collaboration among the NHC, the Health Bureau of the HKSAR Government and the HKJC. I believe that with concerted efforts, the collaborative projects will greatly contribute to the country and Hong Kong, promoting stronger, more comprehensive, and more consolidated developments in healthcare and the prevention and control of emerging communicable diseases in both places," Mr Lee said.

     Mr Lee added that the HKSAR Government will continue to strengthen the two-way training and exchange of healthcare talent between the Mainland and Hong Kong. Stressing the high importance of cross-boundary medical collaboration in the work of the HKSAR Government, Mr Lee said that various initiatives will be taken forward in the future, including the establishment of the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute, participating in and supporting the internationalisation of national hospital accreditation standards, the launch of the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme and so on.

     Mr Lee will attend the opening meeting of the second annual session of the 14th National People's Congress tomorrow (March 5).

              

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriers in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the spokesperson for Kwong Wah Hospital made the following updates today (March 4):
 
     In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has performed tracing investigation. Three more babies (two boys and one girl, aged 25 to 50 days) were confirmed as MRSA carriers without any symptoms of infection. The babies are being treated in isolation. One of them is in serious condition due to his underlying disease while the remaining two babies are in stable condition. The hospital have informed their family members.
 
     The hospital has performed enhanced medical surveillance and screening of the patients in the NICU. The following infection control measures have been stepped up according to established guidelines:
 

1. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the NICU, including the environment, incubators, equipment and instruments;
2. Enhanced medical surveillance of the patients and environmental screening procedures in the NICU; and
3. Applied stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff. Family members are reminded that infection control measures must be implemented when visiting their babies.

 
     The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for follow-up.

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, today (March 4) started his visit to Fuzhou, Fujian.

     Mr Sun first paid a courtesy call on the Executive Vice Governor of Fujian Province, Ms Guo Ningning this morning and updated her on Hong Kong's policy initiatives to recruit and support talent as well as the latest situation of the local labour market and economy. He then called on the Director of the Department of Commerce of Fujian Province, Mr Huang Heming, at a lunch gathering and exchanged views on the management, supervision and co-operation on importing labour to Hong Kong. He also met with recipients of the Fujian Scheme under the Social Security Allowance Scheme to understand the needs of Hong Kong elderly persons retiring in Fujian.

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is implementing the Special Scheme to Import Care Workers for Residential Care Homes, the Labour Importation Scheme for the Construction Sector, the Labour Importation Scheme for the Transport Sector and the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme to address acute manpower shortages across various sectors. If the prospective imported workers are Mainland residents, employers must recruit the imported workers through the enterprises operating business on labour service co-operation with Hong Kong approved by the relevant Mainland authorities.

     Mr Sun attended a seminar this afternoon to get a better grasp of the practical experience of Fujian enterprises operating business on labour service co-operation with Hong Kong under various labour importation schemes. They had focused discussions on how to make good use of different schemes to meet the recruitment needs of employers and protect the employment rights of imported workers in Hong Kong in parallel. Mr Sun said that the HKSAR Government engages the Labour Advisory Board periodically on the implementation of the sector-specific labour importation schemes and will conduct a review, with a view to fine-tuning the design and implementation details of the sector-specific labour importation schemes if necessary.

     This evening, Mr Sun and his delegation had dinner with representatives of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in Fujian to learn more about the investment of Hong Kong businesses in Fujian as well as the necessary support for Hong Kong residents and enterprises. He encouraged enterprises and talent in Hong Kong and Fujian to strengthen exchange and co-operation to integrate into the overall national development.

     The delegation comprises the Director of Hong Kong Talent Engage, Mr Anthony Lau, as well as representatives of the Labour Department. Mr Sun will continue his visit to Fujian tomorrow (March 5).

      

     Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident happened in Sha Tin this morning (March 4), in which a 68-year-old man died.

     At 10.37am, a taxi driven by a 53-year-old man was travelling along Tate's Cairn Highway towards Kowloon. When approaching Shek Mun Interchange, it reportedly rammed into a private car driven by a 68-year old man. Both drivers alighted from the cars for checking, a medium goods vehicle (MGV) driven by a 58-year-old man suspectedly failed to stop in time and knocked down both drivers.

     Sustaining serious head injuries, the private car driver was rushed to Prince Wales Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 11.38am. The taxi driver also sustained head injuries and was sent to Prince Wales Hospital in conscious state.

     The MGV driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm and is being detained for enquiries.

     Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories South is underway.

     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 1346.