The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 11) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H7N3 avian influenza in the State of Guanajuato in Mexico, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with Mexico for import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. In the first three months of this year, no poultry meat from Mexico was imported into Hong Kong according to the Census and Statistics Department.

     "The CFS has contacted the Mexican authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate actions will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 11) that Tsing Yi Southwest Swimming Pool in Kwai Tsing District has been temporarily closed for cleaning and superchlorination following the discovery of a small amount of vomit in the pool.

     It will be reopened at 8.55pm today.

     The department appeals to swimmers to be considerate and to keep the swimming pools clean. They are advised not to swim after a full meal and should use the toilet facilities if necessary before swimming.

     Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, after attending a public function today (July 11):

Reporter: Does the department have any plans to deal with the "Lennon Wall"? Can you also comment on the Ombudsman's probe into the under-utilisation of low-cost beds?

Secretary for Food and Health: As far as the utilisation of low-charge beds (at two private hospitals) is concerned, the Department of Health has given comments and suggestions to the private hospitals as to how best to use these beds. On one hand, the Hospital Authority, especially during the flu season, has actually used some of these beds of the two hospitals. On the other hand, we understand that the Ombudsman is now going to have an investigation on the use of these beds. We will continue to work with the Ombudsman and provide data and also information to facilitate the investigation.

     As far as the "Lennon Wall" is concerned, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is looking into the environmental hygiene of different districts. If there are any complaints against the situation whereby it will cause any environmental hygiene problems, then the food and environmental hygiene staff will make an assessment and see how best to take forward.  

 (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     ​Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) hosted a seminar in Changchun, Jilin Province, today (July 11) encouraging local enterprises to make use of Hong Kong's international platform and its business advantages to accelerate their overseas expansion amid the Belt and Road Initiative.
           
     Entitled "Belt and Road, Together We Grow", the event was jointly organised by InvestHK, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Jilin Province, the Department of Commerce of Jilin Province, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the People's Government of Jilin Province, the Jilin Province Development and Reform Commission and the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Jilin Province. It was also supported and co-organised by the Jilin Foreign Investment Cooperation Association.
           
     The seminar began with remarks by the Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Stephen Phillips, and the Deputy Director of the Jilin Province Development and Reform Commission, Mr Chen Yunwu.
           
     Mr Phillips told the seminar about the new business opportunities Hong Kong has to offer as an international business platform in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative. He said, "Hong Kong maintains unique business advantages. It has been ranked the second most competitive economy again in the International Institute for Management Development World Competitiveness Yearbook 2019 and the world's freest market for 25 consecutive years by the Heritage Foundation, reaffirming Hong Kong's role as an important platform for Mainland enterprises to expand into other Asian and international markets."
      
     He added, "Operating under the principle of 'one country, two systems', Hong Kong enjoys the dual advantages of being part of China, while maintaining its international outlook and role as an international financial, transportation and trade centre with its own economic, legal and social systems and globally competitive professional services. Hong Kong has an important role to play in the Belt and Road Initiative. Jilin enterprises can leverage Hong Kong's vibrant business platform to seize new opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative."
     
     Other speakers included the Head of the Transport and Industrial sector of InvestHK, Mr Benjamin Wong; Assistant Vice President of Global Issuer Services, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited Mr Alex Zhao; Partner, Tax Services, North-eastern Region, Deloitte China, Mr Xu Jihou; and the Immigration Officer of the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing, Mr Michael Chan. They talked about how Mainland enterprises can leverage Hong Kong’s business advantages to expand overseas and InvestHK’s services to Mainland enterprises, reasons to list in Hong Kong and the latest developments of the Hong Kong stock market, how to make use of the city's tax incentives and business advantages to capture new business opportunities overseas, as well as work visa arrangements for Mainland enterprises.

     For event photos, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72157709571654602.
           
About InvestHK
 
     InvestHK is the department of the HKSAR Government responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services for overseas and Mainland companies. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.

    

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, July 11, 2019 is 104.8 (down 0.5 against yesterday's index).