Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Executive John Lee today led his team of principal officials to attend the second 2025 Policy Address District Forum to continue listening to the views and suggestions of members of local communities on the upcoming Policy Address.

Held at Yuen Long Public Secondary School, the forum was attended by about 120 people from different backgrounds.

The two-hour district forum consisted of two sessions. In the first session, the Chief Executive and the principal officials listened to the views of members of the public. The matters raised covered land and housing, transport, innovation and technology, financial services development, culture and sports, education, youth issues, poverty alleviation and support for the disadvantaged, healthcare services, social welfare and more.

In the second session, participants were divided into four groups centred on the themes of “pursuing development and economic growth” and “improving people’s livelihood and building our future together” to engage in more extensive exchanges with the Chief Executive and the principal officials. The Chief Executive interacted and discussed with members of each group in turn and listened to their views.

Mr Lee attended the district forums on two Sundays in a row to exchange and interact directly with the public, learning about their views on the Policy Address and understanding their expectations for Hong Kong’s development.

He said: “The participants’ remarks have shown me their passion and confidence in Hong Kong, and have also inspired me as I prepare the Policy Address. We will carefully consider every suggestion put forward by the public and formulate policies to boost the economy and improve people’s livelihoods.”

The public consultation for the Policy Address was launched on June 16. The Government has held more than 40 consultation sessions to date. Citizens can continue to give their views through various channels, including the Policy Address website, social media platforms, hotlines, by email, fax and post.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (August 3) led his team of Principal Officials to attend the second 2025 Policy Address District Forum at Yuen Long Public Secondary School to continue listening to the views and suggestions of members of local communities on the upcoming Policy Address. About 120 people from different backgrounds participated in the District Forum.
 
     The two-hour District Forum consisted of two sessions. In the first session, the Chief Executive and the Principal Officials listened to the views of members of the public. The matters raised covered many areas, including land and housing, transport, innovation and technology, financial services development, culture and sports, education, youth issues, poverty alleviation and support for the disadvantaged, healthcare services, social welfare and more. In the second session, participants were divided into four groups centred on the themes of “pursuing development and economic growth” and “improving people’s livelihood and building our future together” to engage in more extensive exchanges with the Chief Executive and the Principal Officials. The Chief Executive interacted and discussed with members of each group in turn and listened to their views.
 
     Mr Lee said, “The District Forums form an important part of the consultation for the annual Policy Address. I have incorporated the views received from these forums into the Policy Addresses over the past three years. I attended the District Forums on two consecutive Sundays to exchange and interact directly with the public, learning about their views on the Policy Address and understanding their expectations for Hong Kong’s development. The participants’ remarks have shown me their passion and confidence in Hong Kong, and have also inspired me as I prepare the Policy Address. We will carefully consider every suggestion put forward by the public and formulate policies to boost the economy and improve people’s livelihoods.”
 
     The public consultation for the Policy Address was launched on June 16. The Government has held more than 40 consultation sessions to date, which included two District Forums, to tap the views and suggestions of representatives from various sectors on the Policy Address. Members of the public can continue to give their views through various channels, including the Policy Address website, social media platforms, hotlines, email, fax and post.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (August 3) that due to big waves/inclement weather, red flags have been hoisted at Deep Water Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island, Hung Shing Yeh Beach in Islands District; and Hap Mun Bay Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced that Fashion Momentum Group (FMG), a Chinese fast-fashion retailer, has opened its first athleisure store, BENLAI, in Hong Kong today (August 2), just a few months after the opening of its flagship fashion store, URBAN REVIVO, in May this year in the city. This marks the group’s latest efforts in using its Hong Kong regional headquarters to expand into Asia and other global markets.
 
Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau said, “We are pleased to welcome FMG as they expand their investment in Hong Kong. The introduction of a new fashion band, BENLAI, not only shows the Group’s confidence in Hong Kong’s retail market, but also reflects the city’s unique role as a bridge between the Mainland and worldwide markets, making it an ideal base for regional co-ordination and international growth. We wish it every success in Hong Kong and beyond.”
 
The Chief Executive Officer of International Business at Fashion Momentum Group, Ms Vivian Chen, said, “Hong Kong is a city where you can easily get to the countryside within 30 minutes. With that, customers embrace versatile fashion, simple and sustainable fashion – perfectly aligned with our philosophy of reimagining wardrobe essentials through high-performance fabrics. We see Hong Kong as a window to showcase to local consumers and global visitors our modern lifestyle and values as an original Asian brand.”  
 
She added, “Our Hong Kong regional headquarters will support key functions such as finance, retail and operations, and serve as a base for our expansion into Southeast Asia and other overseas markets. As one of the important international cities in Asia, we will continue to leverage Hong Kong’s strategic advantages – including its robust supply chain ecosystem – to increase our global visibility and lay the groundwork for entering more mature markets.”
 
Founded by FMG, BENLAI is a contemporary fashion brand that combines sustainable functional fabrics with minimalist design. Its collections are tailored for diverse everyday scenarios including commuting, leisure, and light sports, and have gained popularity among younger consumers. The group currently operates more than 400 stores worldwide and is actively expanding its international footprint.
 
For more information about BENLAI, please visit www.benlaishop.com.

For a copy of the photos, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720328061482.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at the Hong Kong Academy of Politics and Public Policy Graduation Ceremony 2024-2025 today (August 2):

Mr Tong (Patron of the Hong Kong Academy of Politics and Public Policy and Convenor of the Path of Democracy, Mr Ronny Tong), dear professors, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

I must begin by extending my warmest congratulations to all the graduates on your very remarkable achievements. Today marks a milestone in your journey to become the future leaders of Hong Kong.

I have done some research about this programme. Since its inception in 2017, the Senior Executive Diploma in Political Leadership Programme has trained over 200 people. The programme’s strength lies in, first, its very strong partnership with HKU SPACE; second, its very well-structured course modules coupled with field trips, and thirdly, which is the most important, the support given by very eminent lecturers who are leading experts in different areas. This year, I note that a 20-hour programme called the “Premier Programme in Leadership and Public Affairs” has been introduced, which aims at cultivating the core skills of politicians such as policy research and public speaking. These two programmes, in my view, have undoubtedly contributed to improving the quality of our future politicians.

What I wish to say is that for anyone who is interested in taking part in politics, I think it also applies to in devising or implementing public policy in Hong Kong, the most important task is to have a very proper and thorough understanding of the fundamental principle of “one country, two systems”. This is of course a very big issue that I cannot cover in two minutes. But I just wish to repeat one of my favorite quotes concerning the principle of “one country, two systems”. That is what President Xi Jinping said on December 20, 2024 in Macao: “The values embodied in the cause of ‘one country, two systems’, namely, peace, inclusiveness, openness and sharing, are relevant to not only China but also the whole world. These values should be cherished by us all.” This important point is of particular relevance and significance to Hong Kong having regard to our city’s status as an international cosmopolitan city. In making public policies for Hong Kong, we must do our best to uphold the four values highlighted by President Xi both as a matter of perception and reality.

I wish to echo what Ronny has said. Ronny referred to his experience yesterday when a child asked him about the future of Hong Kong and Ronny’s answer was “one country, two systems”. For the future, I think nobody has a crystal ball, but I do feel that the future is very much in our hands. The question is whether we can make the best use of various systematic advantages that are offered by “one country, two systems”. I think that’s why Ronny emphasised that we do have to firstly identify exactly what the differences are; secondly, to make those differences count, and thirdly, make those differences visible. Based on the personal experience including my very recent trip to Europe, many of you would probably know that I went to visit the Netherlands, Paris and Rome, I tried to tell a Hong Kong story, which is a good story and a true story. I think this is an important point. It cannot just be a good story. It has to base on true facts. But the challenge is that, for various reasons, there may be a chance to blur the distinction between the “two systems”, so that our systematic advantages which are really the differences between the “two systems” become less visible and people simply do not see the differences or our systematic advantages very clearly, and they cannot figure out how these differences can serve not just the interest of Hong Kong but also China. But more importantly, it’s in the interest of the world community to allow Hong Kong to be in the position to implement “one country, two systems” successfully. I think that’s why President Xi Jinping said in Macao that “one country, two systems” is not just for Hong Kong, it’s not even just for China. It’s a sort of universal product in the hope of serving the interests of friends around the world. If we want to maintain our status as an international trading centre, financial centre, aviation centre, then we must convince people around the world that we are not serving our own self-interest, but our common interests. 

Turning to politics, I remember a speaker said that not many people wish to become politicians. I do have to confess that my experience in politics is still very limited. Some people say that politics is the art of compromise. I think that’s true, but unfortunately, sometimes, people misunderstand or misconstrue compromise as a sign of weakness or indecisiveness. I prefer to describe it in a different way. I would say politics is the art of balance. The analogy that I would like to draw is very much like walking on a tightrope. Firstly, you have to be very brave as there is always the risk of falling which can be fatal. So you have to think very carefully before you walk on the tightrope. Second, you really have to be very patient and take one-step at a time. Sometimes, when the wind is very strong, you have to slow down, and sometimes you have to pause. Most importantly, it is inevitable that you will wobble while moving forward. The key is to ensure that you will not lean too much to one side, so that it becomes impossible to restore the balance.

When it comes to the making of public policies, whether in the public sector or private sector, it’s always about how to strike the balance between various considerations and to make sure that we’re not going too far to one extreme. You can never achieve the most upright position, but you have to try to ensure that you’re not swaying too much to one side.

One of the speakers also said that he envied you. I share the same feeling. I do envy you because I did not have the chance of receiving all the good trainings that you have received before I took up my present position. Precisely because of this reason, I’m very confident that all of you are now in a very good position. You are now well prepared to take up the position of being the future leaders of Hong Kong. I read your website, there is a question of how can we make a difference in Hong Kong? I think that’s the motto. My answer is that I’m sure that you can all definitely make a difference in Hong Kong. 

To conclude, I wish to express my congratulations to you again. Let’s work together for a better Hong Kong. The future is in our hands, all we need is confidence and good judgement. Thank you very much.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Please broadcast the following special announcement immediately, and repeat it at frequent intervals:

“The Social Welfare Department announces that while the Red Rainstorm Warning Signal has been issued, units providing child care centre services, services under the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project, and after school care programmes for pre-primary or primary school children, elderly services centres, day pre-school rehabilitation services units and day rehabilitation units, including sheltered workshops, integrated vocational rehabilitation services centres, integrated vocational training centres and day activity centres, which normally operate on Saturdays, will remain open during their normal operating hours. If necessary, members of the public can contact the centres or services units to make arrangements for the safe return home of their children and family members.”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Transport Department (TD) today (August 2) announced that as the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is now in force, services of the Driving Test Centres will be suspended.
 
     Driving tests (road tests) scheduled at or before 1pm will be cancelled. Candidates will be individually informed of the rescheduled test appointment. If the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is still in force at 11.30am, all driving tests today will be cancelled. Candidates will be individually informed of the rescheduled test appointment.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

TV/radio announcers please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

As the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is now in force, the Hong Kong Wetland Park is closed. The Park will reopen two hours after the signal is lowered. The Park will remain closed today if the signal remains hoisted at 2pm. Any person or organisation who has paid a deposit for visiting today can contact the Park’s ticket office for refund arrangements or change of visit date.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Attention TV/ radio announcers:
 
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
 
As the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is in force, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (August 2) that all gazetted beaches under its management are temporarily closed. In accordance with the Bathing Beaches Regulation under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132, sub. leg. E), any failure to comply with the temporary closure arrangements is an offence and the offender will be liable to a maximum fine of $2,000 and imprisonment up to 14 days upon conviction.

Members of the public should stay away from the shoreline during inclement weather, and should not conduct any water sports activities on beaches to avoid causing danger to themselves and rescue personnel.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Please broadcast the following special announcement immediately, and repeat it at frequent intervals:

“The Social Welfare Department announces that while the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal has been issued, units providing child care centre services, services under the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project, and after school care programmes for pre-primary or primary school children, elderly services centres, day pre-school rehabilitation services units and day rehabilitation units including sheltered workshops, integrated vocational rehabilitation services centres, integrated vocational training centres and day activity centres, which normally operate on Saturdays, will remain open during their normal operating hours to take care of those at the centres.”