Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, in the Legislative Council today (May 21):

Question:

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

President Lai welcomes President Surangel Whipps Jr. of Republic of Palau with military honors
President Lai Ching-te welcomed President Surangel Whipps Jr. of the Republic of Palau and his wife on the afternoon of May 20 with full military honors. In remarks, President Lai stated that this year marks the 26th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries, and that we have supported one another, overcome all kinds of challenges, and deepened cooperation across various domains. He expressed hope that, going forward, we can work together to make even greater contributions to the world. He said he looks forward to this visit allowing our two countries to enjoy even closer relations and together create even more fruitful outcomes as a result of our cooperation.
The welcome ceremony began at 4:00 p.m. in the plaza fronting the Presidential Office. President Lai and President Whipps each delivered remarks after a 21-gun salute, the playing of the two countries’ national anthems, and a review of the military honor guard.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
Today, I am delighted to welcome President Whipps, First Lady  Valerie Whipps, and their delegation with full military honors as they make this state visit to Taiwan. On behalf of the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I extend my sincerest greetings to President Whipps and the esteemed members of the delegation.
President Whipps is visiting Taiwan again following his reelection last year. His decisive victory in that election not only demonstrated the Palauan people’s support and trust in him but also highlighted the values of freedom and democracy shared by Taiwan and Palau.
This year marks the 26th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries. Along the way, we have supported one another, overcome all kinds of challenges, and deepened cooperation across many domains. In particular, over the past several years, Taiwan has actively engaged with the world. I would like to thank President Whipps and the government of the Republic of Palau for continuing to back Taiwan’s international participation at events around the globe.
In the future, Taiwan will work with Palau to make even greater contributions to the world. I anticipate that through President Whipps’s visit, our two countries will enjoy even closer relations and together create even more fruitful outcomes as a result of our cooperation. I wish you a pleasant and successful visit. 
President Whipps then delivered remarks, a transcript of which follows:
Good afternoon, President Lai Ching-te, Vice President [Bi-khim] Hsiao, distinguished officials, Ambassador [Jessica C.] Lee (黎倩儀). On behalf of the first lady and the delegation from Palau, alii and good afternoon. President Lai, it’s only been a year since we were here celebrating your inauguration, and it is indeed a profound honor to stand before you today and witness this remarkable precision, professionalism, and pride displayed by the Taiwan Honor Guard. Their discipline, their dedication, and their unwavering commitment to duty are an inspiration to us, and not only to the people of Taiwan, but to all who cherish peace, order, and freedom in our region.
And as president of the Republic of Palau, I bring you warm greetings from our people and express our deepest respect for the enduring friendship between our nations. Taiwan and Palau share more than diplomatic ties; we share common values, democracy, mutual respect, and a steadfast belief in the rule of law. This honor guard stands as a symbol of those values. Every step, every salute, and every formation speak not only to military excellence, but to the character of the people who defend peace and help uphold dignity and honor.
In today’s world, where peace is often challenged and freedom is tested, it is heartening to know that there are those who stand firm, not for aggression, but for stability; not for power, but for principle. So these young men and women who serve in this honor guard and this elite unit, you are more than soldiers. You are ambassadors of your nation’s strength, discipline, and grace. Your service uplifts your nation’s image and strengthens the bonds we hold dear.
May you continue to serve with excellence, with courage, and humility. And on behalf of the people of Palau, I thank you, President Lai. May our partnership grow stronger, our region more peaceful, and our futures more secure through the values we share. Thank you, mesulang, xiexie.
Also in attendance at the welcome ceremony were Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Andrea Clare Bowman  and members of the foreign diplomatic corps in Taiwan.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by Professor the Hon William Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (May 21):

Question:

It has been reported that during the Labour Day Golden Week holiday on May 2 when a large number of Mainland tourists visited Hong Kong, the mobile network and Wi-Fi system at MTR Lok Ma Chau Station were overwhelmed as a large number of passengers simultaneously used their mobile phones to scan QR code tickets to enter and leave via turnstiles, and thus a significant number of passengers were stranded. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of passengers stranded at Lok Ma Chau Station on May 2 due to the failure of the mobile network and station Wi-Fi system;

(2) as passengers were being stranded at Lok Ma Chau Station on May 2, whether the Government has communicated with relevant Mainland authorities to notify passengers who intended to enter Hong Kong via the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point that they should use alternative boundary control points (BCPs); given that Shenzhen Metro Line 4 is operated by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), whether the Government has urged MTRCL on the same day to immediately notify passengers travelling on Line 4 of the passenger stranding situation at Lok Ma Chau Station and called on them to cross the border via alternative BCPs;

(3) whether the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has conducted drills with relevant Mainland authorities regarding unexpected incidents at BCPs and formulated various contingency plans; and

(4) whether simulation tests have been conducted at all BCPs to establish co-ordination mechanisms and joint response measures between the Mainland and Hong Kong for handling peak passenger flows and potential unexpected incidents (including emergency situations such as malfunctions of immigration systems, baggage and security screening system failures, and railway service disruptions); if so, of the time when such tests were conducted; if not, whether such tests will be conducted in the future?

Reply:

President,

The Golden Week holiday is the peak period of Mainland visitors visiting Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been maintaining close liaison with relevant organisations and parties to prepare well for arrangements of boundary control points (BCPs), public transportation, crowd management, etc, with a view to ensuring the smooth operation of various aspects in receiving visitors and offering a high-quality experience to them. In view of this year’s Labour Day Golden Week holiday, the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) had made advance preparations by enhancing the train services for cross-boundary railways (including Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau Stations of the East Rail Line, and the Hong Kong West Kowloon High Speed Rail Station), as well as deploying additional staff and strengthening information dissemination. Meanwhile, the MTRCL maintained close liaison with relevant departments at the BCPs, so as to adjust train services in a timely manner according to the situation at the BCPs, and provide visitors with safe, reliable and convenient railway services.

In consultation with the Security Bureau, the Transport Department (TD) and the MTRCL, my consolidated reply to the question raised by Professor the Hon William Wong is as follows:

(1) As observed by the MTRCL, during this year’s Labour Day Golden Week holiday, the number of visitors arriving in or exiting from Hong Kong via the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point using the MTR East Rail Line and the total patronage were slightly higher than those of the same period last year. On May 2 (Friday) this year, the peak arrival and departure periods for Mainland visitors were in the morning and evening respectively, during which an average of approximately 7 500 visitors entered and exited Lok Ma Chau Station per hour.

During the peak departure period in the evening, a relatively large number of passengers used their phones at the same time to activate QR codes at ticket gates, resulting in a sudden surge in mobile data demand within a short period of time; the pressure on the mobile network providers’ provision of mobile data also intensified the passengers’ demand for Wi-Fi capacity at the station. As a result of the overall overloading of mobile data and Wi-Fi networks, passengers needed longer time for connection to the network to retrieve the QR codes, leading to a higher passenger flow at the stations’ entry/exit gates and concourse at certain periods of time. The MTRCL immediately took contingency measures in response to the actual situation, such as diverting passenger queues before the gates, adjusting the operation of individual escalators as appropriate to control the passenger flow, and intermittently allowing passengers to exit the gates without having to tap their cards from approximately 9.45pm to 10.30pm to divert passenger flow. Throughout this period, the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) and the TD maintained close communication with the MTRCL and promptly urged the MTRCL to enhance services in all aspects to ensure the smooth and safe operation of the station in face of the large patronage. 

To cope with the peak travelling period for visitors during the Labour Day Golden Week this year, the MTRCL anticipated that there would be an increase in demand for network data capacity by passengers. As such, arrangements were made before the Golden Week to increase the in-station Wi-Fi capacity for supplementary purpose to cater for the needs of passengers who require internet access but do not have mobile network data. In light of the situation that occurred on the evening of May 2, the MTRCL promptly contacted mobile network providers in that same evening to immediately upgrade the mobile data capacity near BCPs as well as further increase the Wi-Fi capacity at Lok Ma Chau Station so as to facilitate the use of QR codes for passengers to take trains.

In response to the aforementioned situation, the TLB has requested the MTRCL to review its arrangements for future visitor peak periods based on the experience gained this time. The MTRCL will also enhance its publicity efforts on Mainland social media platforms to remind visitors to activate their QR codes for payment in advance, thereby reducing the time spent at the gates. In addition, the MTRCL will promote the use of mobile Octopus for tourists as another payment option that does not require internet connection. The MTRCL will further discuss with relevant parties on how to manage passenger flow more effectively and plan ahead to ensure that the peak passenger flow can be handled more smoothly in future.

(2) The Inter-departmental Joint Command Centre, comprising the Police, the Immigration Department, the Customs and Excise Department and relevant parties (including the MTRCL), was activated during the Labour Day Golden Week (i.e. from May 1 to 5, 2025) to monitor the real-time situations at various BCPs. The Joint Command Centre maintained close liaison with the Mainland port authorities through the established port hotlines and real-time notification mechanisms, and took timely contingency actions as necessary to ensure the smooth operation of the land control points.

In addition, relevant departments at BCPs continuously monitored real-time situations at the control points and maintained liaison with the corresponding Mainland port authorities, including immediate mutual notification of the passenger flow situation upon learning about the heavy network traffic at the MTR Lok Ma Chau Station on May 2 this year as well as implementation of appropriate crowd control and diversion measures to facilitate passenger flow and maintain order at the BCP.

(3) and (4) The HKSAR Government and relevant Mainland authorities have conducted incident drills at various BCPs from time to time, simulating emergencies such as fires, power supply failures, immigration system malfunctions and infectious disease incidents. These drills aim to formulate and practise contingency plans, strengthen co-ordination between departments and various parties and enhance overall response capabilities, thereby ensuring safety and order at BCPs in the event of unexpected incidents. Recent joint exercises include the flooding evacuation drill at the Express Rail Link West Kowloon Control Point in March 2025 and the joint exercise at the Lo Wu Control Point in October 2024 to simulate scenarios of power supply and system network incidents at the Hong Kong Port and contingency measures taken by relevant parties.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau spoke at a panel discussion session and met World Health Organization (WHO) officials yesterday as he continued his attendance at the WHO’s 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

In the morning, Prof Lo and Director of Health Dr Ronald Lam listened to remarks made by State Council Vice Premier Liu Guozhong at the assembly’s “High Level Segment”.

Prof Lo commented: “The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government spares no efforts to complement the nation’s strategies to contribute to the building of a global community of health for all.”

Prof Lo and Dr Lam also attended a side event themed “Improving Universal Health Coverage through the implementation of WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025-2034”, which was hosted by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine along with the health authorities of Malaysia, Nepal, Saudi Arabia and Seychelles.

In a panel discussion, Prof Lo spoke about Hong Kong’s experiences in promoting high-quality and high-standard Chinese medicine (CM) development.

He said: “The Hong Kong SAR Government will leverage Hong Kong’s strengths in its healthcare system, regulatory framework, standard-setting, clinical research, trade, and more to develop the city into a bridgehead for the internationalisation of CM.”

In terms of CM practice, he explained that the Hospital Authority has accumulated extensive experience through its integrated Chinese-Western medicine services over the years. The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong is developing a “Hong Kong model” that includes pure CM, CM-predominant, and integrated Chinese-Western medicine clinical services, with a view to promoting CM at an international level.

With regard to CM drugs, Prof Lo said Hong Kong’s Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute is actively advancing scientific research, education and international exchanges on CM drug testing. This includes developing internationally recognised reference standards and testing methods for CM drugs, and promoting the commercial application of such methods, with a view to developing Hong Kong into an international hub for CM testing and quality control.

Prof Lo and Dr Lam also met the WHO’s Director of Nutrition & Food Safety Luz María De Regil to discuss strategies and interventions for obesity and weight management. Prof Lo said that the Hong Kong SAR Government will strive to halt the rise of obesity by implementing life-course interventions.

The delegation will arrive back in Hong Kong tomorrow.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Tang Fei and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (May 21):
 
Question:
 
According to a research publication released by the Legislative Council Secretariat last month, the number of research and development (R&D) personnel per million population in Hong Kong is significantly lower than that of neighbouring regions, and the proportion of local research postgraduates is continuously declining. There are views that research postgraduates also face multiple challenges in employment and the transformation of research outcomes. If such issues are not addressed in a timely manner, Hong Kong’s future innovation development and economic restructuring will be affected. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) given that according to the aforesaid research publication, Hong Kong currently has only 4 809 researchers per million population, lagging far behind Singapore and South Korea, whether the Government has drawn up specific measures to attract and nurture local R&D talent, particularly in STEM fields; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; whether it has set specific targets and timelines to increase the number of local R&D personnel in the next three years;
 
(2) given that according to the aforesaid research publication, in the 2022-2023 academic year, only 63 per cent of research postgraduates from universities funded by the University Grants Committee secured full-time employment within six months after graduation, and only 11.6 per cent of graduates could manage to find jobs directly related to their studies, whether the Government has tailor-made support measures to address the employment challenges faced by research postgraduates, so as to help them maximise their potential and meet the needs of the local R&D industry; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(3) as there are views pointing out that while Hong Kong’s R&D outcomes reach international standards, they fall short in terms commercialisation and industrialisation, whether the Government will strengthen efforts to promote industry-academia-research collaboration to enhance the industrialisation of R&D outcomes and foster the development of an innovative economy; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
The Government has all along been dedicated to promoting the development of innovation and technology (I&T), with a view to driving economic restructuring and more diversified development. Apart from the nation’s clear support for Hong Kong’s development into an international I&T hub under the 14th Five-Year Plan, the recently promulgated 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education also proposed to establish an integrated co-ordinating mechanism for education, technology and talent, strengthening the supportive role of education for science and talent, closely tying in with the development of technological innovative centres in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the development of a highland for high-level calibre and platform for attracting talent, and enhancing the overall efficacy of the innovation system.
 
The replies from the Education Bureau and the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau to the Hon Tang Fei’s question are as follows:
 
(1) and (2) The Government has been expanding the local research and I&T talent pool through a multi-pronged approach. On the front of nurturing talent, the Government guides the University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities to align their planning with the nation’s strategy of invigorating China through science and education, and support the goal of developing Hong Kong into an international I&T hub, including setting the key performance indicators in the 2022 Policy Address with 35 per cent of the students pursuing UGC-funded programmes to study in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) subjects. In addition, publicly-funded research postgraduate (RPg) places have been gradually increased from 5 595 in the 2022/23 academic year to 7 200 places in the 2024/25 academic year. Together with the gradual uplift of the over-enrolment ceiling from 70 per cent in the 2021/22 academic year to 100 per cent, institutions could flexibly enrol 14 400 RPg students at most, which is an increase of more than half, to constantly expand the I&T and research talents of Hong Kong.
 
Additionally, the STEM Internship Scheme under the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) subsidises undergraduates and postgraduates taking full-time STEM-related programmes to enrol in short-term internships, so as to foster their interest early in pursuing careers in I&T after graduation. The Research Talent Hub under the ITC also provides funding support for eligible companies or organisations to engage university graduates to conduct research and development (R&D) work.
 
For attracting talent front, the InnoHK Research Clusters has successfully attracted R&D talents from all over the world to Hong Kong, with over 2 500 local, overseas and Mainland researchers involved, and has provided training for over 1 200 PhD students. The ITC will launch the Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme, with a view to attracting international top-notch talents to conduct basic research in frontier technologies in Hong Kong and nurture local researchers.
 
According to the report “Hong Kong Innovation Activities Statistics 2023” released by the Census and Statistics Department in December 2024, the number of R&D personnel has reached 43 403 in 2023, which has increased steadily over the years.
 
(3) With an aim to enhance the I&T ecosystem and Hong Kong’s competitiveness on the I&T front, the Government has been promoting collaboration among the industry, academic and research sectors through various measures, and adopting a multi-pronged approach to support commercialisation of R&D outcomes of local universities. For example, the $10 billion Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme under the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) funds, on a matching basis, research teams from universities with good potential to become successful start-ups to transform and commercialise their R&D outcomes, while industry sponsorship is a mandatory requirement. Furthermore, the ITF will continue to provide annual funding to the Technology Transfer Office of each of the eight UGC-funded universities, thereby supporting the development of innovative ideas and R&D outcomes into new products or services. The R&D centres set up by the Government have also been taking forward industry-driven applied R&D work that suits market needs and transferring technologies to the industries through contract researches, licensing arrangements, etc to commercialise their R&D outcomes. Meanwhile, the Government facilitated the establishment of the Hong Kong New Industrialisation Development Alliance. Pooling together talent and resources from various fields, the Alliance aims to serve as a platform for collaboration among the Government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors. With a view to promoting co-operation among enterprises and organisations, we believe that the Alliance will also be conducive to the promotion of transformation and commercialisation of R&D outcomes.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

​Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the LME Asia Metals Seminar 2025 today (May 21):

Carlson (Chairman of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), Mr Carlson Tong), Bonnie (Chief Executive Officer of the HKEX, Ms Bonnie Chan), John (Chairman of the London Metal Exchange (LME), Mr John Williamson), Matthew (Chief Executive Officer of the LME, Mr Matthew Chamberlain), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, continued to attend the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday (May 20, Geneva time). He also took the chance to meet with other participants and WHO officials to tell the world good stories of Hong Kong and the country.
 
As members of the Chinese delegation, Professor Lo and the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, continued to attend the plenary session on the second day of the WHA.
 
In the morning, Professor Lo and Dr Ronald Lam listened to the remarks made by Vice Premier of the State Council Mr Liu Guozhong at the High Level Segment.
 
Professor Lo said, “Following the presentation of national positions by the Minister of the National Health Commission, Mr Lei Haichao, and the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, Mr Chen Xu, on Taiwan-related proposal, COVID-19 origins tracing and China’s promotion of co-operation and exchange on global health on the first day of the Assembly, Vice Premier of the State Council Mr Liu Guozhong also delivered remarks at the High Level Segment today. As our country has been actively involving in global health cooperation and exchanges, including deploying healthcare rescue teams to many countries and regions over the years, as well as providing over 500 billions of personal protection items and 2.3 billion doses of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemics, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government spares no efforts to complement the nation’s strategies to contribute to the building of a global community of health for all.”
 
Professor Lo and Dr Lam also attended a thematic side event hosted by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM) and cohosted by the health authorities of Malaysia, Nepal, Saudi Arabia and Seychelles. The side event, themed “Improving Universal Health Coverage through the implementation of WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025-2034”, was moderated by the Dean of the Vanke School of Public Health of Tsinghua University, Professor Margaret Chan, and the Director of the Institute for Global Health of Peking University, Professor Ren Minghui. The Commissioner of the NATCM, Professor Yu Yanhong, also delivered a keynote speech at the side event.
 
During the panel discussion, Professor Lo shared the implementation experiences in promoting high-quality and high-standard development of Chinese medicine (CM) in Hong Kong on all fronts. He said, “The HKSAR Government will leverage Hong Kong’s strengths in its healthcare system, regulatory framework, standard-setting, clinical research, trade, and more to develop the city into a bridgehead for the internationalisation of CM. In terms of CM practice, the Hospital Authority has accumulated extensive experience through its integrated Chinese-Western medicine (ICWM) services over the years. The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong will further develop the ‘Hong Kong model’ for pure CM, CM-predominant, and ICWM clinical services, with a view to promoting CM service, management standards and system development at the international level. As regards CM drugs, the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute is actively advancing the work on scientific research, education and promoting international exchanges on CM drug testing, including developing a series of internationally recognised reference standards and testing methods for CM drugs and their products, and promoting the commercial application of these methods in the sectors through training and technology transfer programmes, with a view to developing Hong Kong into an international hub for CM testing and quality control.”
 
During their visit to Geneva, Professor Lo and Dr Lam also met with the Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety of the WHO, Dr Luz María De Regil, to discuss the strategies and interventions for obesity and weight management. Professor Lo emphasised, “Like many other regions and countries, Hong Kong is facing the challenges posed by the increasing prevalence of obesity. The HKSAR Government has long been attaching great importance to the prevention and control of obesity and will strive to halt the rise of obesity by adopting life-course interventions.”
 
The delegation will depart for Hong Kong today (May 21, Geneva time) and arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow (May 22, Hong Kong time).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region