Following are the opening remarks by the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang, at the Grand Challenges for Engineering Symposium today (August 16):
      
Professor Zhang (President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Professor Xiang Zhang), Tim (President of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences and President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Professor Timothy Tong), Professor Grubbs (2005 Chemistry Nobel Laureate and Victor and Elizabeth Atkins Professor of Chemistry at California Institute of Technology, Professor Robert Grubbs), distinguished guests and speakers, ladies and gentlemen,
      
     Good morning. First of all, on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all our overseas guests. 
      
     I am honoured to attend the Grand Challenges for Engineering Symposium today and address such a distinguished group of engineers and scholars. 
      
     I would like to thank the University of Hong Kong and the US National Academy of Engineering for bringing this remarkable Symposium to Hong Kong. The Grand Challenges for Engineering Symposium is not only connecting academic leaders from around the world, but also inspiring and developing the next generation of talent to tackle the biggest challenges in engineering, while advancing the well-being of society and mankind. Today's Symposium resonates well with the HKSAR Government's innovation and technology agenda, that is, to pool together global and local talent to establish Hong Kong as a hub in using innovation and technology to address social challenges.
      
     During the past two years, we have accelerated ahead with new programmes and invested an unprecedented HK$78 billion to support our innovation and technology development. These include infrastructure improvements such as provision of free electronic identity or eID to all our residents in two years' time, and mega projects such as development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park located right at the boundary of Hong Kong and Shenzhen. We are also providing and facilitating more funding support to researchers and the industry, incubation for start-ups, training and re-tooling of talent and incentives for attracting overseas R&D institutions to set up research bases in Hong Kong. We have also broken new ground by providing the first ever super tax deduction to companies of up to 300 per cent for R&D expenditures, and we are rolling out new talent schemes to facilitate admission of sought-after technology talent from the Mainland and overseas.
      
     A grand engineering challenge is not just about achieving academic excellence or overcoming technical challenges, but utilising knowledge and innovation to improve the well-being of the society as a whole. That hinges on the availability of inquisitive talent. Our local universities excel in research excellence as well as knowledge transfer. HKU has long been considered a wellspring of ideas and fertile ground for creative talent. I would like to highlight two projects originating from the young engineers of the Faculty of Engineering of HKU. The first project developed smart and environmental friendly Passive LED Power Driver Lighting Technology which was awarded the Gold Medal with Special Recognition at the 46th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva in April 2018, and it is undergoing trial on the streets of Hong Kong. Another project is the fabrication of strong and ductile multi-phase Super Steel which won the TechConnect Global Innovation Award at the World Innovation Conference & Expo in May 2018. These are very encouraging achievements indeed.
      
     In closing, I would like to pay tribute to the University of Hong Kong's continuing efforts in nurturing our next generation of engineers and innovators. I am most grateful to all the speakers and panelists of the Symposium for sharing your invaluable knowledge, experience and insights to inspire our young minds. Have a great and enjoyable conference today! 
      
     Thank you very much.

  

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Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (August 16) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Stanley Main Beach, Shek O Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; Hung Shing Yeh Beach, Pui O Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach and Tong Fuk Beach in Islands District; Hap Mun Bay Beach, Clear Water Bay First Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District.  Beach-goers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, attended the first plenary meeting of the leading group for the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as a member at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing today (August 15). The meeting was hosted and convened by the Vice Premier of the State Council, Mr Han Zheng, to discuss and plan for priority areas of work for the next stage of the Bay Area's development. The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, sat in on the meeting as working staff.

      Mrs Lam expressed her gratitude to the Central Government for setting up the leading group as a top-tier body to advance the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and strengthen its co-ordination. Noting that Hong Kong's integration into the development of the Bay Area will enrich the implementation of "One Country, Two Systems" and is conducive to maintaining Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, she said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will seize the opportunity and collaborate fully in the development of the Bay Area.
 
     She reported at the meeting the latest work progress of Hong Kong on the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub, including the advancement of I&T development by the HKSAR Government in accordance with the eight-pronged approach set out in the Policy Address delivered last year, establishment of a presence in the two research clusters to be set up at the Hong Kong Science Park by the Chinese Academy of Sciences for its research institutions to enable collaboration with local higher education institutions or research and development (R&D) centres for R&D projects; a co-operation arrangement to be signed between the national Ministry of Science and Technology and the Innovation and Technology Bureau of the HKSAR Government to promote exchanges and collaboration on science and technology; and the establishment of a Bay Area academician alliance in Hong Kong to promote the participation of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering in the development of the Bay Area.
 
     In the evening, Mrs Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, as well as Mr Nip and Mr Chan, visited China Railway Corporation (CR) to meet with the General Manager of CR, Mr Lu Dongfu, and tour its dispatch and command centre. The centre is responsible for monitoring the operation and dispatch of the major rail lines in the Mainland to ensure their smooth running.
 
     Mrs Lam expressed her gratitude to CR for its staunch support in the construction of and operational arrangements for the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) over the years. She said that after her meeting with Mr Lu in Beijing in August last year, the two parties immediately established a High-Level Liaison Mechanism to discuss regularly the operational arrangements and financial matters in relation to the Hong Kong Section of the XRL. In the past year, five High-Level Liaison Mechanism meetings have been held and the sixth meeting will be held tomorrow (August 16). The two parties also signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Arrangements for Preparation of Key Operational Issues for the Hong Kong Section of the XRL in January this year, marking the reaching of consensus in principle on financial and operational matters.
 
     Mrs Lam particularly thanked CR for including Guilin and Kunming, which are popular travel places for Hong Kong people, as destinations for direct long-haul services, as well as improving train frequency, adjusting the train pairs flexibly according to passenger flow, lowering significantly the service fees for selling Mainland journey tickets at counters at West Kowloon Station, and supporting the study on enhancing the Mainland ticketing system to allow Hong Kong people to purchase Mainland journey tickets directly online free of service fees in the future. She invited Mr Lu to visit Hong Kong to attend the commencement ceremony of the Hong Kong Section of the XRL in late September to witness the commissioning of the new cross-boundary infrastructure of Hong Kong.
 
      Mrs Lam will return to Hong Kong tomorrow morning (August 16).

        

     The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, today (August 15) convened an inter-departmental meeting to listen to the latest reports and risk assessment by the Department of Health (DH), the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Hospital Authority (HA) in the light of the four local dengue fever cases.
 
     At the meeting, the DH and the HA reported that they had formulated related contingency measures and guidelines in response to the local situation to tackle the risk of dengue fever. The DH issued letters to doctors and hospitals today to appeal to them to stay alert to suspected cases. In collaboration with public and private hospitals as well as private doctors, the DH will enhance surveillance, early referral and prompt control to prevent further spread of the disease. The DH also issued letters to all schools, kindergartens and institutions to urge them to take heed of environmental hygiene and prevent mosquito infestation.

     According to HA's risk assessment of the current situation, public hospitals have to maintain high vigilance and get prepared for the contingency response for Dengue Fever. These include the activation of the "e-Dengue" enhanced surveillance system tomorrow to promptly identify patient cases and report for early diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, mosquito control measures have also been stepped up in public hospitals and clinics as well as their construction sites to eliminate mosquito breeding site.

     "The Government is very concerned about the four local dengue fever cases confirmed yesterday. To tackle the potential risk of dengue fever outbreak in Hong Kong, we will not take the risk lightly and take every measure to enhance the mosquito control work," Professor Chan said.
 
     "Mosquito prevention work requires the concerted efforts of all sectors of the community. Sustained efforts of the public to keep the environment clean are crucial for effective mosquito control work. Members of the public should remain vigilant against mosquito-borne diseases so as to prevent the spread of dengue fever in Hong Kong. I appeal to all sectors in the community to work together with the Government to keep up effective measures against mosquito breeding."

     In view of the ongoing investigation of the four local cases of dengue fever announced by the DH yesterday, the FEHD immediately stepped up targeted mosquito prevention and control work at the relevant districts in accordance with the established mechanism. Today, the FEHD deployed staff to carry out inspections as well as prevention and control work including conducting fogging operations to reduce the number of adult mosquitos, applying larvicides, clearing stagnant water and disused articles and conducting grass cutting to eliminate potential mosquito breeding grounds in areas within a 500-metre radius of the residences of the patients and the places visited by them during the incubation period (including Highland Park and Kwai Shing West Estate in Kwai Tsing District, Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground in Lam Tin, Tsui Chuk Garden and Lion Rock Park in Wong Tai Sin and the vicinity of Hillside Road in Cheung Chau). The FEHD also collected samples of Aedes albopictus for virus testing with a view to identifying the infection source of the dengue fever cases.

     Moreover, the relevant government departments will also strengthen mosquito prevention and control work and take effective anti-mosquito measures in construction sites, schools and private housing estates under their management.

     The FEHD and the DH's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) have conducted health talks for local residents. The FEHD and the relevant government departments will continue to enhance public education and publicity to remind the public to stay vigilant against the potential risk of mosquito-borne diseases including dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis and Zika Virus Infection as well as continue to adopt mosquito prevention and control work at home to thoroughly eliminate potential mosquito breeding grounds.
 
     The Food and Health Bureau also informed the relevant bureaux and departments of the four local cases of dengue fever through the government's inter-departmental Pest Control Steering Committee so that various departments could strengthen mosquito control work and take corresponding measures immediately.
 
     As Aedes albopictus breeds in small water bodies, the Government reminded members of the public to strengthen mosquito prevention and control measures at home by inspecting their homes and surroundings to remove potential breeding grounds, scrubbing vases and pot plant saucers at least once a week, properly disposing of containers such as soft drink cans and lunch boxes, and drilling large holes in unused tyres. The public are also advised to keep drains free of blockage and fill up all depressions to prevent puddles from forming. They should also scrub all drains and surface sewers with an alkaline detergent compound at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.
 
     Members of the public should call 1823 in cases of mosquito problems and may visit the dengue fever pages of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, the latest Travel Health News, tips for using insect repellents, the CHP Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the FEHD's Guidebook on Control and Prevention of Mosquito Breeding for more information.

  

     Police today (August 15) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Sham Shui Po.
         
     Tso Yik-hang, aged 34, went missing after he left his residence in Pak Tin Estate yesterday (August 14) afternoon. His family made a report to Police on the same day.
         
     He is about 1.8 metres tall, 70 kilograms in weight and of normal build. He has a pointed face with yellow complexion, short black hair and a tattoo on his right arm. He was last seen wearing a grey T-shirt, grey shorts and black slippers.
          
     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8038 or 9020 6542 or email to rmpu-kw-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.