Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 20) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in the Rural Municipality of Ste. Rose of Manitoba Province in Canada, and an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Loire-Atlantique Department in France, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, no poultry meat or eggs were imported into Hong Kong from Canada in the first six months of this year; and Hong Kong imported about 400 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat, and about 20 000 poultry eggs from France in the first six months of this year. 

     “The CFS has contacted the Canadian and French authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Delegation of National Model Workers & Craftsmen arrived in Hong Kong today to start a four-day visit.

At the invitation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, All-China Federation of Trade Unions Vice Chairman Wei Dichun led the delegation to visit Hong Kong.

National Model Worker, National Advanced Worker and National Great Craftsman are national honorary titles. Members of the delegation include seven top elites from various fields, namely Gao Fenglin (aerospace), Hong Jiaguang (aviation), Duan Jiangnan (AI), Zhan Chunpei (maritime), Zhu Yiqing (finance), Liu Zhong (catering) and Yang Jun (cultural arts).

After arriving in Hong Kong in the afternoon, the delegation attended a welcome ceremony organised by the Hong Kong SAR Government.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Hong Kong & Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the State Council for their full support in facilitating this visit, which fully demonstrated the great importance and care that the country attaches to Hong Kong, cheering on Hong Kong workers and injecting positive energy into society.

He said the Hong Kong SAR Government and all sectors of society attach great importance to the value of labour and hope that the visit of the delegation will enhance the national pride and patriotism of Hong Kong people as well as inspiring employees in all industries to embrace changes and be dedicated at work.

Director-General of the Social Work Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR Liu Songlin; Head of Second Division, Fifth Bureau of the Hong Kong & Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the HKMAO of the State Council Li Xinyu; Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun; Permanent Secretary for Labour & Welfare Alice Lau; and Commissioner for Labour Sam Hui also attended the ceremony.

The delegation attended a welcome dinner hosted by Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki in the evening.

Mr Chan said that the delegation’s visit to Hong Kong is of great significance in promoting the public’s understanding of the spirit, excellent qualities and outstanding contributions of National Model Workers, National Great Craftsmen and National Advanced Workers. The Hong Kong SAR Government warmly welcomes the delegation’s visit to Hong Kong.

He also firmly believed that the hard work and outstanding achievements of the delegation members will motivate all sectors of Hong Kong society to continue to strive for excellence and pursue their aspirations, and further unite social forces to jointly contribute to promoting national development and improving people’s well-being.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) commenced operations today, providing mediation services for disputes between states, international investment and international commercial disputes.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Chief Executive John Lee, representatives of the IOMed’s contracting states, as well as 87 senior officials from 31 states out of the 37 signatory states.

Mr Lee said: “In these times of global instability, international mediation is indispensable for resolving disputes, preserving relationships and encouraging meaningful co-operation. With our world-class professional services, Hong Kong is dedicated to supporting the cause of dispute resolution.”

IOMed Governing Council Chairperson Hua Chunying remarked that the IOMed offers a new platform in the field of international rule of law, and its vision is highly consistent with that of the Global Governance Initiative of China.

IOMed Secretary-General Prof Teresa Cheng also noted the organisation practises multilateralism, serving as a global pillar in the peaceful settlement of international disputes.

Housed at the renovated Old Wan Chai Police Station, the IOMed headquarters is equipped with state-of-the-art mediation rooms and breakout rooms, with the building’s architectural features preserved.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam will depart for Korea tomorrow afternoon, where he will attend the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting in Incheon and speak at the discussion sessions.

On October 22 and 23, Mr Lam will attend a joint session of the Finance Ministers’ Meeting and the Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting, and the Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting.

The Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting this year is themed “Future Direction & Role of Structural Reform in addressing emerging challenges”, and ministers from APEC member economies will discuss how to build a sustainable future through structural reforms and the implementation of law and policies.

Mr Lam will also attend a joint legal workshop co-organised by the Department of Justice and the Ministry of Justice of Korea.

His other engagements during this trip include a visit to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Regional Centre for Asia & the Pacific, and a local arbitration institution.

Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong on October 25. During his absence, Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan will be Acting Secretary.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui today announced that the Government Logistics Department (GLD) has implemented six quick-win measures, as proposed by the Task Force on Review of Government Procurement Regime to plug loopholes in government procurement procedures as soon as possible.

Mr Hui pointed out that while the incident on the procurement of bottled drinking water clearly involved suspected fraudulent acts by a particular company, it also revealed that the perceptiveness and alertness of the relevant officers in conducting due diligence checks and addressing potential fraudulent acts could not adapt to the current business environment and were obviously below reasonable expectations.

He said: “The task force and I consider it essential to tackle the problem at source through reshaping the work culture, enhancing the capability of procurement officers in exercising due diligence and empowering officers with sufficient authorities on the regime level. This will help ensure greater effectiveness for officers in handling procurement matters in future, not only serving as advocates of fair competition, but more importantly, as gatekeepers for government procurement.”

The six quick-win measures focus on three aspects, namely institutional change, enhancement of cross-departmental information exchanges and reshaping of work culture.

They are to promulgate internal guidelines to stipulate specific requirements on due diligence checks; set up a Procurement & Stores Management Audit Section to step up inspections; revise Standard Terms & Conditions of Tenders & Contracts (STC) to strengthen vetting and contract management power; establish a digital database for information sharing; strengthen staff training to guard against fraud; and build a culture of ownership at work.

The Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau has directed the GLD to implement these six measures immediately.

The task force expects to publish a review report before the end of this year to put forward solutions that address both symptoms and root causes, with a view to further enhancing the Government’s procurement work.

Separately, the GLD is reviewing in detail the tender requirements of the contract for the supply of bottled drinking water to government offices.

In order to keep tabs on the market pulse prior to tendering, the GLD published a market research notice on its website today, inviting interested suppliers to submit responses in a month’s time. The GLD aims to launch the tender exercise for the supply of bottled drinking water to government offices on Hong Kong Island and parts of the outlying islands, with the relevant responses taken into account, by the end of this year.

Mr Hui also released today the management letter submitted by the Audit Commission on its review of the tender exercise for the procurement of bottled drinking water. He thanked the Audit Commission for providing numerous recommendations, the directions of which align with the six quick-win measures and the long-term enhancement measures being explored by the task force. The task force will examine the management letter in detail to refine the long-term enhancement measures for announcement before the end of the year.

Mr Hui also announced that Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 Alice Lau had been invited to conduct a disciplinary investigation on the human errors identified in the management letter.

The Task Force on Review of Government Procurement Regime was established in August to review the existing government procurement regime and procedures arising from the incident on the Government’s procurement of bottled drinking water under a cross-bureau and cross-departmental approach.

The task force is chaired by Mr Hui, with members including the Permanent Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury (Treasury), the Director of Government Logistics, and representatives from the Civil Service Bureau, the Commerce & Economic Development Bureau, the Development Bureau and the Department of Justice.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Transport visited the Central Kowloon Bypass (Yau Ma Tei Section) (CKB(YMTS)) today (October 20) to understand the latest progress of the CKB(YMTS) project, as well as the tunnel facilities and features of the project.

     Members first received a briefing from representatives of the Highways Department (HyD) at CKB(YMTS) Administration Building on the planning of the Central Kowloon Bypass project and the design of the tunnel entrance and the connecting roads in Kai Tak. They also visited the tunnel control centre to learn about the traffic control and surveillance system that will be used in the future.

     Members noted that the Central Kowloon Route (CKR) will be opened in phases. The Yau Ma Tei section, which is expected to be commissioned in December this year, is about 4.7 kilometres long and will connect the Yau Ma Tei Interchange with the Kai Tak Development Area. This will help alleviate current traffic congestion along the major roads in Kowloon and reduce journey time.

     Members then conducted a visit to the tunnel entrance in Kai Tak, the tunnel section, and the Yau Ma Tei Portal to gain a deeper understanding of the drill-and-blast method of the tunnel adopted in the excavation of the tunnel and the tunnel facilities. Members noted that, given the tunnel’s length of approximately 3.9km and its depth of more than 100 metres underground, the project team adopted the latest technologies during the construction to overcome challenges such as tunneling in urban area, re-provisioning of the Gascoigne Road Flyover, and preserving nearby heritage sites and landmarks.

     During the visit, Members exchanged views with Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Director of Highways and representatives from the Administration on the construction challenges, traffic impact assessments and road arrangements to prepare for the upcoming commissioning of CKB(YMTS).

     A total of 12 members and non-members of the Panel on Transport participated in the visit.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, continued his visit to Washington, DC, the United States (US) yesterday (October 17, Washington time), attending the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group. He also participated in various events, meeting with leaders in the financial sector, major business representatives and think tank figures to brief them on the latest developments and business environment in Hong Kong.

In the morning, Mr Chan attended the plenary session of the Annual Meetings. Later, he joined an in-conversation session organised by the Institute of International Finance, a high-level forum attended by senior executives of various international financial institutions. During the session, Mr Chan shared insights on the current state of Hong Kong’s economy, its strategy of development as a financial centre, opportunities in innovation and technology—particularly artificial intelligence—the development of digital assets, and the building of a patient capital ecosystem.

Mr Chan highlighted Hong Kong’s unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” arrangement, including free flow of capital, a freely convertible currency pegged to the US dollar, a highly internationalised market, and close alignment with international best practices. He also emphasised Hong Kong’s encouragement of financial innovation. Despite rising global economic uncertainties in recent months, Hong Kong has continued to see capital inflows, reflecting international investors’ confidence in the city’s investment environment and opportunities.

He noted that Hong Kong is continuously reforming its capital markets to facilitate corporate fundraising and enhance market liquidity, thereby attracting high-quality issuers and investors from both local and overseas markets. At the same time, Hong Kong is embracing financial innovation with a prudent approach, promoting the development of digital assets including stablecoins. He also shared initiatives in nurturing patient capital, including the establishment of the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited (HKIC), which invests early, in smaller-sized enterprises, and with a long-term perspective. The HKIC also mobilises private capital to support innovation and technology industries. Mr Chan said that the HKIC has so far invested in over 130 projects, and for every $1 invested, it has attracted around $6 in co-investment from the market.

At noon, Mr Chan attended a business luncheon co-hosted by the US-China Business Council and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington, with over 40 American business leaders in attendance. He delivered a keynote speech, updating participants on Hong Kong’s latest economic situation and future development directions, and exchanged views with guests on topics including opportunities in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.

He stressed that the “one country, two systems” arrangement is a significant advantage for Hong Kong and that the Central Government has made it clear that this good system will be upheld in the long run. For example, Hong Kong continues to practise the common law system, and its judiciary exercises judicial power independently. The rule of law in Hong Kong remains highly ranked internationally. In terms of financial innovation, under the “one country, two systems” arrangement, Hong Kong is also prudently exploring areas such as digital assets. Regarding innovation and technology development, Hong Kong benefits from access to both Mainland and international data, which is advantageous for research and development activities in sectors like healthcare. This makes Hong Kong particularly attractive to overseas biomedical enterprises.

Mr Chan reaffirmed that Hong Kong will continue to welcome American businesses and talent to invest and develop their careers in the city.

Later, Mr Chan attended a roundtable discussion hosted by the US think tank Atlantic Council, where he exchanged views with representatives from multinational corporations, financial institutions, and local think tanks. He briefed them on Hong Kong’s current economic and financial conditions, its innovation and technology development, and discussed topics including trade, finance, digital assets and innovation.

Mr Chan has departed for Hong Kong and will arrive tomorrow morning (October 19).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Director-General of Investment Promotion of Invest Hong Kong, Ms Alpha Lau, has started her visit to three major economies in Central Asia under the Belt and Road Initiative from October 18 to 25, covering Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The visit aims to deepen Hong Kong’s partnership with key economies in the region and explore new areas of co-operation.

“The three Central Asian countries, situated at the heart of the Eurasian continent, are crucial hubs of the Belt and Road Initiative. Their abundant natural resources, ongoing economic reforms, and vast market potential are unleashing strong growth momentum,” Ms Lau said. “As a leading international financial and business hub, coupled with the synergistic effects of the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong is committed to becoming a strategic gateway for Central Asian enterprises to access the Chinese Mainland and Asian markets.”

“Hong Kong’s sound regulatory framework, simple and low tax regime, and deep international talent pool can provide diversified financing channels for Central Asia’s infrastructure and development projects. The city’s professional services ecosystem can also empower local enterprises in their transformation and international expansion,” she added. “I look forward to engaging in in-depth exchanges with local government officials, institutional representatives, and entrepreneurs during this visit to jointly explore concrete co-operation projects in areas such as fintech, sustainable development, trade, and logistics, to achieve mutual benefits.”

During the visit, Ms Lau will meet with government departments, financial regulators, stock exchanges, chambers of commerce, banks, and business leaders from sectors including finance, innovation and technology, and trade in the three countries to explore tangible co-operation opportunities and promote Hong Kong’s unique business advantages.

Economic and trade ties between Hong Kong and Central Asia are growing increasingly close. In 2023, the total merchandise trade between Hong Kong and Central Asia grew by over 50 per cent year on year, reaching over US$1.7 billion. Among them, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are Hong Kong’s key trading partners in the region, with bilateral trade reaching US$1.39 billion and US$300 million respectively in 2023. Meanwhile, trade between Hong Kong and Kyrgyzstan recorded significant growth in the first three quarters of 2024, with exports growing by more than 1.5 times year on year and imports surging by more than five times, demonstrating the immense potential for bilateral co-operation.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Legal Practice Training Course for Chinese Enterprises Going Overseas, organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy, officially commenced today (October 20).

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, spoke at the opening ceremony of the course today. He expressed his gratitude to the Bureau of Policies, Laws and Regulations of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council for their support and trust in the Academy. He said that with the high-quality development of the national economy, an increasing number of outstanding Mainland enterprises are actively expanding to overseas markets, while at the same time facing many challenges. Hong Kong has always been a springboard for Mainland enterprises to go global, and is the only common law jurisdiction in the country with both Chinese and English as official languages under the “one country, two systems” framework, making Hong Kong an important hub linking the Mainland and the rest of the world. He said he hopes that the training course will enable participants to comprehensively understand current trends in overseas expansion, keep abreast of evolving legal and regulatory challenges, and effectively tackle the complex issues encountered by enterprises when “going overseas”.

Participants in this course, including over 30 legal advisors and related professionals from state-owned enterprises, will explore the practical and imminent legal issues and challenges faced by Chinese enterprises going global. Speakers of the lectures include experienced legal professionals from Hong Kong and overseas, as well as members of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Expert Committee. The Academy also invited more than 10 senior legal practitioners from 12 jurisdictions in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, to share their first-hand experiences and insights in the local markets with participants in three sessions.

The Academy will continue to leverage the unique advantages of “one country, two systems” and the Hong Kong common law system, and organise different courses to promote Hong Kong’s legal services in assisting Mainland enterprises in going global.