Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (May 28) said that it welcomes and supports the Judiciary’s announcement on the establishment of the Hong Kong International Commercial Court (HKICC), which will specialise in adjudicating major cross-border and international commercial disputes, marking a new milestone in the development of Hong Kong’s legal system.

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said, “The National 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly outlines the initiatives of accelerating the development of the system and capacity for the rule of law in foreign affairs, improving mechanisms for international commercial mediation, arbitration, and litigation, and supporting Hong Kong to consolidate and enhance its status as an international financial, shipping, and trade centre and an international aviation hub, as well as deepening its development as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre. The HKSAR is the only common law jurisdiction in the country. Hong Kong’s commercial and trade laws based on common law are internationally compatible, and well trusted by international businesses or investors. The establishment of the HKICC fully demonstrates Hong Kong’s unique advantages under ‘one country, two systems’ of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. It will contribute new and greater strength to the country’s high-level opening up, while further promoting the development of international commercial rules.”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) and the National Time Service Center (NTSC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) held a plaque-unveiling ceremony for the Hong Kong Station of the National Standard Time and Joint Atomic Time at the HKO Headquarters today (May 28). The ceremony was officiated by the Under Secretary for the Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong; the Director of the HKO, Dr Chan Pak-wai; the Director of the NTSC, Dr Zhang Shougang; and Research Fellow of the NTSC Dr Yuan Haibo. Through the first Hong Kong Station, the HKO provides the NTSC with raw measurement data for the generation and maintenance of the Joint Atomic Time and collaborates in promoting the development of the Joint Atomic Time. 

     Delivering his speech, Dr Chan said, “Since the signing of the co-operation agreement between the HKO and the NTSC on September 27, 2025, both parties have actively developed collaborative projects in time measurement, timekeeping, and time service. We are grateful to the NTSC for providing the HKO with its first passive hydrogen atomic clock and standard time transmission equipment. Through the efforts of professionals from both sides, an accurate and stable national time source has been introduced to Hong Kong, contributing to the support of Hong Kong’s time service and also to the nation’s ability to maintain its time standard.”

     In his speech, Dr Zhang said, “Time is a vital strategic resource for the nation, and high precision time synchronisation is a core technological foundation for regional collaborative development. Being the only specialised and core institution in China dedicated to time and frequency scientific research and responsible for the generation, maintenance and dissemination of China’s National Standard Time (UTC (NTSC)), the NTSC has always adhered to its mission of ‘keeping the nation’s time and providing accurate time service’. It has deeply cultivated key core technologies in the time and frequency field, ensuring that the accuracy and stability of UTC (NTSC) have consistently ranked among the world’s best, providing a solid and reliable time guarantee for national scientific and technological progress, industrial development, and national security. The deployment and construction of the standard time transmission equipment in Hong Kong is a concrete measure by the NTSC to promote the deep integration of Hong Kong and Macao into the overall development of the nation, and also a practical step in promoting Hong Kong’s participation in the generation of China’s National Time Standard for the first time.” 

     The UTC(NTSC) is a standard time generated and maintained by the NTSC of the CAS. It is eight hours ahead of the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) (i.e. UTC+8 hours). In recent years, the deviation between the UTC(NTSC) generated and maintained by the NTSC and UTC has remained within two nanoseconds, achieving the smallest deviation from UTC internationally. The Joint Atomic Time is calculated by the NTSC using multiple high-performance atomic clocks and advanced comparison measurement systems. It provides a stable time reference for the nation and serves as a backup for the UTC(NTSC). The time information is also regularly provided to the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in France for the calculation of the International Atomic Time and the generation of UTC.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (May 28) that a Mainland resident was transferred point-to-point from Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) to Zhuhai People’s Hospital (ZHPH) for treatment yesterday (May 27) noon under the Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in the Greater Bay Area (Pilot Scheme). This marks the first time a patient has been transferred from Hong Kong to the Mainland since the implementation of two-way transfers under the scheme on March 27 this year.

The female patient was previously injured in an accident while traveling in Hong Kong and was admitted to TMH for treatment. Upon learning of the patient’s wish to return to the Mainland for medical care, the medical team at TMH immediately assessed her clinical condition. The team then communicated with the medical team in designated receiving hospital in Zhuhai (ZHPH) through established mechanisms and planned the transfer arrangements. After confirming that the patient was fit for transfer, the TMH medical team arranged for her to be transferred directly to ZHPH via a cross-boundary direct ambulance from point to point at noon yesterday.

The cross-boundary direct ambulance arrived at ZHPH at around 1pm yesterday. Accompanied by medical staff throughout the journey, the entire process was smooth. The patient did not need to switch ambulances when crossing the border, which significantly reduced risks during transit and increased her chances of recovery. Upon arrival at ZHPH, the patient was handed over to the ZHPH medical team for continued treatment according to established procedures.

The HA spokesman said, “The HA sincerely thanks the various units in the Mainland and Hong Kong for their active coordination and co-operation, which facilitated the smooth transfer of the patient to Zhuhai for medical care via the cross-boundary direct ambulance. Ensuring a smooth and safe cross-boundary hospital transfer process represents a major breakthrough in Greater Bay Area healthcare collaboration.”

Since its launch on November 30, 2024, the Pilot Scheme has operated smoothly overall. To date, 28 patients have been transferred to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong from designated sending hospitals in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Nansha, and Macao (namely the University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen Hospital, ZHPH, Nansha Division of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, and the Conde S. Januário Hospital in Macao).

Direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is one of the key initiatives under the Outline Development Plan for the GBA, as well as a policy measure proposed by the Chief Executive in the 2023 and 2025 Policy Addresses. The Pilot Scheme officially implemented two-way transfers in March 27 this year, providing safer, more timely, and convenient transfer arrangements for patients with specific needs in the region. This marks an important milestone in achieving excellent healthcare co-operation and promoting the high-quality development of a “Healthy Bay Area.”

Under the arrangement, patients participating in the Pilot Scheme must undergo professional medical assessment confirming they require continuous inpatient care, are in a relatively stable condition, but are unable to cross the border on their own and are unsuitable for transferring between ambulances at existing border control points, before a cross-boundary direct ambulance transfer can be arranged.

     Government departments across Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will continue to review the effectiveness and operational experience of the current transfer arrangements. With patient medical needs, safety, and interests as the top priority, they will continuously refine the arrangements for cross-boundary ambulance patient transfers.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, and his delegation were invited to attend the 39th World No Tobacco Day event in Shenzhen today (May 28). Professor Lo also received the World No Tobacco Day Award from an official of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The event was jointly hosted by the Department of Planning and Information of the National Health Commission (NHC), the Health Commission of Guangdong Province, and the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government. Addressing the event, Vice-minister of the NHC Ms Guo Yanhong said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has long adopted a multipronged and progressive approach to reduce the hazards caused by tobacco to members of the public and society through measures such as legislation, taxation, publicity, education, enforcement and provision of smoking cessation services, achieving notable success. The presentation of the World No Tobacco Day Award by the WHO to the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government and the Secretary for Health of the HKSAR Government, as well as the establishment of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Tobacco Control Monitoring and Evaluation at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, represent a high degree of recognition of tobacco control work in cities such as Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and the full affirmation of China’s tobacco control efforts. The NHC extends its congratulations.

At the event, the WHO Representative to China, Mr Martin Taylor, announced that Professor Lo and the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government were awarded the World No Tobacco Day Award 2026, and presented the Award to him and a representative of the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government. Professor Lo said, “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the WHO for presenting this encouraging Award, which symbolises the WHO’s recognition and high regard of the HKSAR Government’s work on tobacco control. I am deeply honoured to receive this accolade on behalf of the HKSAR. With the support of the Central Government, the HKSAR Government has resolutely implemented tobacco control policies over the years. Hong Kong and Shenzhen are geographically connected and culturally intertwined. Receiving this recognition from the WHO in the field of tobacco control together with the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government today is profoundly meaningful. This demonstrates the concerted efforts of Hong Kong and Shenzhen to promote the collective strength and effectiveness of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in respect of public health governance and injects stronger impetus for building a ‘Smoke-free Bay Area’.”

Professor Lo then signed a joint statement on behalf of the Health Bureau together with the Director-General of the Health Commission of Guangdong Province, Mr Liu Liqun, Deputy Director of the Health Bureau of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government Dr Cheang Seng Ip, and representatives of the nine Mainland cities in the GBA under the theme of “United in Building the Dream of a ‘Smoke-free Bay Area’ – Joining Hands for a Healthy Future”, which symbolises the establishment of closer collaboration in the field of tobacco control in the GBA. The joint statement clearly sets out three common visions based on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, namely: (1) resolutely upholding the rule of law as the bedrock for tobacco control, preventing minors from accessing tobacco products, particularly alternative smoking products, and safeguarding existing smoke-free public spaces; (2) deepening exchanges and mutual learning in the GBA by establishing a regular communication and exchange mechanism on tobacco control; and (3) strictly controlling the circulation and marketing of tobacco by combatting tobacco advertising and distribution channels of illicit tobacco along the entire chain. Professor Lo remarked that the joint statement aligned closely with this year’s World No Tobacco Day theme of countering nicotine and tobacco addiction and provided a direct and targeted response to the means such as alternative smoking products and tobacco advertising that lure members of the public and even the next generation into smoking addiction.

After the event, Professor Lo and the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, together with representatives from the NHC, the WHO, the Health Commission of Guangdong Province, the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government and the Macao SAR Government, conducted a site visit to examine Shenzhen’s tobacco control work at the community level. Professor Lo said, “Following our earlier efforts to publicise Hong Kong’s tobacco control regulations to incoming passengers to Hong Kong in the boundary control point area in Shenzhen, we will continue to deepen our co-operation with other GBA cities and share the HKSAR’s experience in tobacco control, with a view to jointly enhancing the effectiveness of tobacco control work across the GBA to safeguard the health of residents of the Bay Area.”

The delegation members included Dr Lam, the Assistant Commissioner of Customs and Excise (Excise and Strategic Support), Mr Ng Chun-wah, as well as the Chairman of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, Mr Henry Tong, and the Vice-Chairman Dr Johnnie Chan.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region