Month: August 2026

CE visits Sham Shui Po District to gather public views on Policy Address 
     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong; the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; the Director of Home Affairs, Ms Priscilla To; and the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Edward To, also joined relevant parts of the visit.
 
     Accompanied by the District Officer (Sham Shui Po), Mr Oscar Wong, Mr Lee visited Un Chau Estate, where he met with an elderly resident to learn about her use of services from ambulatory care centres. Mr Lee said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been actively promoting ambulatory care services, under which suitable patients may undergo examinations and treatment with multidisciplinary support within the same day, without the need for an overnight hospital stay, before returning home to rest. Ambulatory care services help reduce unnecessary hospitalisation and provide patients with more convenient treatment and services. This could enhance the service capacity and efficiency of the public healthcare system, so that more members of the public may receive appropriate services at an early stage.
 
     Mr Lee had earlier visited Kwong Wah Hospital to learn about the operation of its Ambulatory Orthopaedic Service Centre and the hospital’s application of innovative technologies. He said that the HKSAR Government is committed to deepening healthcare reform and enhancing the quality and efficiency of public healthcare services, including the application of AI technologies in hospitals to enhance the accuracy and speed of clinical diagnoses, so that patients may receive appropriate treatment sooner. He said that the Government will continue to promote the digital upgrading of the healthcare system and actively introduce innovative technologies to further enhance the standard of public healthcare services.
 
     Mr Lee then visited the Un Chau Estate Baptist Church Elderly Centre to learn about the various types of activities and services provided by the centre to enrich the lives of its elderly users. He said that the Government has long upheld the principle of ageing in place as the core, and has continued to strengthen support for elderly persons, including increasing the total number of Community Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly and adding three Neighbourhood Elderly Centres in last year’s Policy Address to strengthen district support for the elderly.
 
     Mr Lee then visited the 1823 Contact Centre to learn how the centre applies AI technologies to expedite the handling of public enquiries, requests for assistance and complaints. He said that 1823 has been actively applying various AI technologies in receiving and analysing public enquiries, assigning cases, analysing data and so on, so as to respond more quickly to requests for assistance and complaints from members of the public. He has asked the Digital Policy Office to continue leading 1823 in actively applying AI and other innovative technologies to continuously enhance efficiency.
 
     Mr Lee said that the current-term Government is committed to turning policy blueprints into tangible outcomes in developing the economy and improving people’s livelihood. Through district visits and meaningful exchanges with members of the public, the Government can better understand their needs and aspirations, and the insights gained will help formulate new policy initiatives. He said that he and his team will continue to listen to views from various sectors of society, so that policy measures could better address livelihood needs and the Government could dedicate its efforts in striving for a vibrant economy, pursuing development and improving people’s livelihood.
Issued at HKT 16:42

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Speech by SJ at Collaborate2Win seminar in Kazakhstan (English only) 
His Excellency Mr Umiraliyev (First Deputy Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr Umiraliyev Zhandos Zhanibekovich), His Excellency Mr Su (Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Almaty, Mr Su Fangqiu), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good morning. It is my great pleasure to speak to you today at the Collaborate2Win seminar in the beautiful city of Almaty. I am particularly delighted to lead this inaugural visit to Kazakhstan in my capacity not only as the Secretary for Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), but also the chairperson of the Working Group on Belt and Road Development under the Steering Group on Integration into National Development of the HKSAR Government.
 
     This visit rides on the strong momentum generated by our Chief Executive’s highly fruitful visit to Astana in June, during which altogether 61 Memoranda of Understanding and agreements were signed. It also reaffirms our sincerity, determination and readiness to foster Hong Kong’s relationship with Kazakhstan. To set the scene, I would like to explain what this seminar is about and what we aim to achieve by referring to the theme of the seminar, namely, Collaborate2Win.
 
     First, let me focus on the phrase Collaborate2. The Arabic number “2” reminds us of the obvious yet important point that collaboration requires the joint efforts of two parties; in the present context, Kazakhstan and Hong Kong. Long-term collaboration is a gradual and incremental process. The essential preconditions are the enhancement of mutual understanding, and the development of mutual trust and confidence.
 
     At this seminar, you will hear from members of my delegation coming from both the public and private sector with knowledge and experience in international co-operation, in particular, in relation to legal and financial matters. We will try to convince you that Hong Kong can and will be Kazakhstan’s important and even indispensable partner in view of its unique status as a premier financial hub with common law advantages.
 
     While Hong Kong is a part of China, it operates as a special administrative region under the principle of “one country, two systems” in accordance with the provisions set out in the Basic Law, which is an important constitutional document. Among other things, Hong Kong adopts the common law system with an independent judiciary enjoying the power of final adjudication. Hong Kong is a leading common law jurisdiction providing reliable and top quality international legal services. Under the national development plan of China, Hong Kong serves as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre. What is of particular significance to Kazakhstan is that, although we practise the common law, we are familiar and have rich experience of working together with civil law jurisdictions for the simple reason that the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong’s motherland, is a civil law jurisdiction.
 
     Hong Kong is, indeed, under a constitutional duty to use our common law advantages to maintain and promote Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre. Articles 109 and 110 of the Basic Law provide that the Government of the HKSAR shall provide an appropriate economic and legal environment for the maintenance of the status of Hong Kong as an international financial centre; and that it shall, on its own, formulate monetary and financial policies, safeguard the free operation of financial business and financial markets, and regulate and supervise them in accordance with the law.
 
     We have been making tremendous and continuous efforts to discharge our constitution duty in this respect. Under our common law system, we make and enforce relevant rules and regulations, which are fair, transparent, predictable, and user-friendly. They provide enormous incentives and opportunities for people coming from any part of the world, including of course Kazakhstan, to engage in financial activities in Hong Kong in a safe, convenient and financially rewarding manner.
 
     While my fellow delegates, who will speak to you soon, will provide you with details to make good my point, I would like to cite two recent events to highlight that, as a matter of fact, Hong Kong is always playing an increasingly important role in the economic development of Kazakhstan. First, on June 2, 2026, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited signed two Memoranda of Understanding with the Astana International Exchange and the Astana International Financial Centre Authority respectively, to strengthen collaboration and enhance capital markets connectivity. Second, on July 1, 2026, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, a state-owned national railway and logistic company, filed an initial public offering on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
 
     I wish to return to the latter part of the theme of today’s seminar, namely, the phrase “2win”, to make an important point. Again, the Arabic number “2” is significant: it means that both of the two parties, not just one of them, will win as a result of the collaboration. It highlights the crucial point that the ultimate objective is to achieve a win-win situation. In other words, the outcomes of collaboration shall be to the mutual benefit of both parties.
 
     While we shall focus on collaborations in legal and financial related areas, it is necessary to also bear in mind the increasing connectivity in other areas between Kazakhstan and Hong Kong. At present, over 600 Kazakh students are pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Hong Kong’s world-class, English-medium universities. The first authentic Kazakh restaurant was opened in late 2025 in the central business district of Hong Kong, which I had visited personally. Cathay Pacific, the flagship airline of Hong Kong, announced last week that they will start three-times-weekly direct flights to Almaty from January 9, 2027. All these developments help to build an ever better ecosystem for interaction and co-operation between the people of these two places. There is every reason for us to be optimistic about and confident in the future relationship between Kazakhstan and Hong Kong.
 
     On this note, I wish you all a very constructive and enjoyable seminar. Thank you.
Issued at HKT 16:36

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Government continues to follow up on incident regarding powdered infant formula found with lead possibly exceeding limit, with no cases of lead poisoning in infants or young children due to consumption of powdered infant formula identified so far      
     In response to the incident, the DH set up a telephone hotline (2125 1199) on July 26 to answer public enquiries relating to the health condition of infants and young children, as well as the switching of infant formulas. Cases were referred to the Hospital Authority (HA) for follow-up as and when necessary. As of noon today, the DH’s hotline and Maternal and Child Health Centres have received 762 relevant enquiries. Based on individual circumstances, the DH provided advice on switching infant formulas, and referred 446 infants and young children to the HA for assessment and follow-ups. Among them, 237 have undergone clinical assessments. Results indicated that their overall health is good and that none have shown signs of lead poisoning. Regarding the cases not assessed, the main reasons were that parents decided not to proceed with further assessment and a small number of cases are still pending assessment.
      
     According to the CFS, it has stepped up the surveillance of lead content in powdered infant and follow-up formula in the market. To date, no cases have been found to exceed Hong Kong’s statutory standard for lead.
      
     Given that the hotline set up by the DH specifically for this incident has received only a small number of enquiries in recent weeks, the hotline will cease operations at 6pm on August 28. If parents notice that their infants or young children are feeling unwell, or if parents have any concerns, they should seek advice from healthcare professionals as soon as possible. For information on health advice regarding the switch to alternative infant formula, the public may visit the DH’s webpageIssued at HKT 16:00

Fatal traffic accident in Lantau North 
     Police officers sped to the scene. The taxi driver was trapped inside the compartment and rescued by firemen. Sustaining serious multiple injuries, the taxi driver was rushed to North Lantau Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 9.20pm. A 48-year-old male taxi passenger, sustaining back and neck injuries, was sent to Princess Margaret Hospital in conscious state. The 59-year-old male bus driver and nine bus passengers (five men and four women), aged between 24 and 71 and sustaining injuries to their heads, necks and limbs, were sent to North Lantau Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital in conscious state respectively.Issued at HKT 6:59

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