Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, expressed gratitude to private hospitals for providing more hospital beds in a gradual manner to receive patients referred from the Hospital Authority (HA). The move will enable the HA to focus its resources in combating the COVID-19 epidemic more effectively and team up with private hospitals in securing public health.
 
     The number of daily new cases in Hong Kong remains high, in four-digit figures, recently, and the overall number of hospitalised patients is on a continuous rise. In view of the epidemic development, Professor Lo, together with the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, as well as colleagues from the HA and the Department of Health, met with representatives from the Hong Kong Private Hospitals Association yesterday (July 26). He invited private hospitals to provide more hospital beds for the HA to transfer suitable patients to receive treatment at private hospitals, thereby alleviating the pressure on the public healthcare services.
 
     Professor Lo said, “I am pleased to note that the Hong Kong Private Hospitals Association has shown support for the appeal. All 13 private hospitals are willing to provide a total of 364 hospital beds, including those for COVID-19 patients and non-COVID-19 patients, at the initial stage to address the HA’s immediate needs. Depending on the actual demand, the number of hospital beds can be gradually brought up to around 1 000. The HA will commence discussions with the private hospitals on the plan for matching one to three private hospitals with each HA cluster for receiving patients referred from public hospitals, so as to ensure effective use of hospital bed resources and the early transfer of patients for receiving medical services.
 
     “Given the signs of a rebound in epidemic situation, it is essential to the lives and safety of our citizens for us to maintain the operation of the public healthcare system. We are grateful to the private hospitals for rendering assistance at this critical juncture and making contributions to Hong Kong’s battle against the epidemic.” read more

     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the Historic Launch of the First Volume of the English Edition of Hong Kong Chronicles today (July 27):
 
Commissioner Liu Guangyuan (Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)), Deputy Director Lu Xinning (Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR), Deputy Head Li Jiangzhou (Deputy Head of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR), Mr Bernard Chan (Executive Committee Chairman of the Hong Kong Chronicles Institute), consuls general, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good afternoon. It is a great pleasure to welcome you to Government House on this historic occasion – the launch of the first English-language volume of the Hong Kong Chronicles.
 
     The wonderful story of Hong Kong Chronicles begins with the wise men behind it. It begins, of course, with Our Hong Kong Foundation, led by Mr Tung Chee Hwa, the first Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR, and Mr Bernard Chan, Executive Committee Chairman of the Hong Kong Chronicles Institute.
 
     The Institute was set up, just three years ago, by Our Hong Kong Foundation. Moving with textbook purpose and commitment, the Institute quickly found essential support. That includes generous funding from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, as well as from individual companies and non-profit organisations.
 
     The great support comes also from a dedicated editorial staff, together with hundreds of scholars, experts and community leaders. To date, they have researched and written two Chinese-language volumes of the Hong Kong Chronicles, namely “Overview & Chronology” and “Hong Kong’s Participation in National Reform and Opening-Up”. With the guiding editorial principle of recounting historical facts without interpretation, their goal is to produce a comprehensive, systematic and objective record of Hong Kong’s heritage and history.
 
     The English version of “Overview & Chronology” counts some 360 000 words and nearly 800 pages. It is a direct and faithful translation of the Chinese volume. For that daunting, detailed effort, my thanks go to the Institute’s team of in-house translators and editors. They worked under the expert guidance of a high-profile Translation Committee, chaired by historian and the University of Hong Kong’s Honorary Professor Elizabeth Sinn.
 
     They’re just getting started, ladies and gentlemen. The Chinese edition of Hong Kong Chronicles will run to 68 books in 54 bound volumes, each of which is expected to be published, and in your hands, by 2027. The English edition, also in 54 volumes, will be on bookshelves by 2032. I’m told the full series will contain about 25 million words, taking readers from the beginnings of Hong Kong, some 7 000 years ago, to the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong SAR, in 2017.
 
     And now, five years later, as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the SAR’s establishment, the publication of this first volume, in English, is a fresh opportunity to tell the success story of Hong Kong.
 
     As put by President Xi Jinping in his important speech delivered on July 1st, and I quote, “Proactively integrating itself into the country’s overall development and carving out its role in national strategies, Hong Kong has maintained its strengths in its high degree of openness and in aligning with international rules. In doing so, the region has been playing an important role in raising China’s opening up to a higher level with wider coverage and scope.”
    
     The President acknowledged that the favourable conditions and distinctive advantages of Hong Kong’s close connection with the world market are cherished by both the people of Hong Kong and the Central Government. Hong Kong’s story is one of national and international connectivity. And our history and culture, as well as our people, institutions and circumstances, all add vibrant colours to our Hong Kong story.
 
     In addition to knowing the story of Hong Kong, reading the Hong Kong Chronicles will also enhance our understanding, and appreciation of the nation we are all so proud to be part of. That includes not only the history we share, but the future we can look forward to. That future, ladies and gentlemen, offers wide-ranging opportunities to take part in, and to help in, our nation’s progress and development.
 
     That means boosting our traditional strengths – as an international financial, shipping and trading centre, and as a regional centre for legal and dispute-resolution services. It also means developing our prowess in other areas as well. That includes rising as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, an up-and-coming area accorded significance in the National 14th Five-Year Plan.
 
     That makes great good sense, given our integrated arts and cultural offerings, world-class facilities that just keep on coming. M+, our brand new global museum of contemporary visual culture, for example, opened just over eight months ago. Earlier this month, the Hong Kong Palace Museum came to brilliant life. This latest addition to Hong Kong’s cultural landscape is now showcasing more than 900 works of art from the prestigious Palace Museum in Beijing, as well as a number of pieces on loan from the Louvre, in Paris. The Louvre’s involvement in the opening only underlines Hong Kong’s standing as an East-meets-West centre for our nation – and the world.
 
     Our literary tradition offers much as well. You can see, and feel, that here today. You could also experience it at this year’s Hong Kong Book Fair, the 32nd edition. The week-long festival dedicated to literature and the joy of reading ended yesterday. The first two Chinese-language volumes of Hong Kong Chronicles were exhibited at the Book Fair. I’m sure that subsequent editions of the Chronicles, in English and Chinese, will be featured at this important literary event in the years to come.
 
     After all, the history of Hong Kong, and of our nation, is replete with remarkable stories. As Hong Kong Chronicles will tell us, we lived them, we learned from them, we grew from them. Ultimately, they rewarded us as a community. And I can promise you, ladies and gentlemen, that my team and I will make our best endeavours to tell the world the good stories of Hong Kong.
 
     The future of Hong Kong, and our nation, will bring with it more stories, more challenges. We will learn from them, grow from them, and flourish with them. There will be a lot of exciting stories ahead of us and I cannot wait to enjoy them with you since we are, as I put it in my campaign slogan, “Starting a New Chapter for Hong Kong Together”.
 
     My thanks, once again, to the Hong Kong Chronicles Institute – to each and every one of you involved in bringing your professionalism, and your passion, to this extraordinarily ambitious project. Today, you have started a new chapter not only for the Chronicles, but also for Hong Kong.
    
     Thank you, and happy reading.

    

     The Department of Health (DH) today (July 27) said to further facilitate the self-monitoring of inbound travellers undergoing quarantine at designated quarantine hotels (DQHs), the DH has developed a supplementary platform… read more

     Following are the welcome and opening video remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, at the 7th Best Workplaces in Hong Kong 2022 Awards Ceremony of the Great Place to Work Institute this afternoon (July 27): … read more

     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the South China Morning Post (SCMP) China Conference Hong Kong 2022 today (July 27):
 
Ms Catherine So (Chief Executive Officer of SCMP), Ms Tammy Tam (Editor-in-Chief of SCMP), Mr Ronnie Chan (Chairman Emeritus of the Asia Society), consuls general, Mr Damien Green (President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Asia), distinguished speakers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good afternoon. I’m delighted to be here today for the opening of the China Conference Hong Kong 2022, the sixth edition of this notable annual gathering. For that, and for giving me this good opportunity to speak to you, my thanks go to the organiser, the South China Morning Post.
      
     Just a few weeks ago, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Hand in hand with that historic occasion, we acknowledged, as well, the 25th anniversary of the implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle.
      
     For the past quarter of a century, this great principle has served as the strong foundation of Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability. Hong Kong has clearly flourished under “one country, two systems”.
      
     Today, we are one of the world’s top three financial centres, the fifth-most competitive economy, a major trading and logistics hub, a rising innovation and technology centre and the vital business bridge between our country and the rest of the world.
      
     President Xi Jinping, who was in Hong Kong for the 25th anniversary of the HKSAR, spoke of Hong Kong on July 1 – and I quote – “proactively integrating itself into the country’s overall development and carving out its role in national strategies”.
      
     The safeguarding of national security and the prioritising of social stability are also essential aspects of our integration into the country’s development. And there is no question that the National Security Law, adopted two years ago, has returned stability and confidence to the streets of Hong Kong and to our economy. The improved electoral system has also ensured that the “patriots administering Hong Kong” principle is fully put into practice, which is necessary and conducive to effective governance.
            
     Our way ahead, and our flourishing future, will continue to be predicated on “two systems”, as well as “one country”. On this, President Xi reassured us all. He said, “The more firmly the ‘one country’ principle is upheld, the greater strength the ‘two systems’ will be unleashed for the development of the SARs.”
      
     As the President underlined in his speech to the people of Hong Kong, and I quote: “The Central Government fully supports Hong Kong in its effort to maintain its distinctive status and edges, to improve its presence as an international financial, shipping and trading centre, to keep its business environment free, open and regulated, and to maintain the common law, so as to expand and facilitate its exchanges with the world”.
      
     I can tell you that President Xi was speaking directly to you, to each and every one of you, whatever your ambitions. Whatever you want to accomplish, the doors to Hong Kong remain wide open and welcoming.
      
     So, to answer the question posed by the theme of this year’s China Conference – “Where does Hong Kong stand 25 years after the handover?” – it is clear that we have come a long and rewarding way, that we are in an enviable position, despite the challenges of the past few years.
      
     That said, I’m not here to “stand”. Hong Kong will move forward. I’m here to lead Hong Kong in breaking new ground and achieving another leap forward in prosperity in the coming five years. And I’m blessed – Hong Kong is blessed – to be able to do so under the innovative and great principle of “one country, two systems”.
      
     President Xi’s important speech on July 1 serves as the blueprint and beacon for the HKSAR Government in the governance of Hong Kong in the coming five years. My roadmap for Hong Kong is in line with the “four proposals” or “four hopes” outlined by the President:
      
     •    First: improving governance. It means upholding the rule of law as a core value. It means instilling a results-oriented approach throughout government and the civil service. It means streamlining government procedures, including our response to COVID based on science and precision. It also means providing prompt and high-level leadership to solving our problems. For that, I have set up four dedicated task forces led by the most senior officials of my governing team, to tackle the wide-ranging issues of intergenerational poverty and district matters, and to strive for more and faster production of land and housing.
      
     •    Second: seizing the boundless opportunities offered by our country through the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Belt and Road and other initiatives to create strong impetus for growth – not only in maintaining our enviable status as an international financial, shipping and trading centre, but also venturing into such burgeoning areas as innovation and technology as well as arts and culture.
      
     •    Third: putting the people of Hong Kong first, helping them – all 7.4 million of them – to a more rewarding and prosperous life, to better education and healthcare, and at every stage of their lives; to address the housing problem by doing things faster, in greater quantities, and more efficiently.
      
     •    Fourth: safeguarding our hard-won stability and harmony, seeking common ground at every turn. No less important, it means ensuring that our young people cultivate a sense of pride in our country, as well as in the HKSAR.
      
     In each of these four interlinked strategies, we will be guided by the “one country, two systems” principle.
      
     I shall announce my first Policy Address in October. For that, we have just launched a public consultation. I welcome you all to send us your views and drive us to better serve the citizens and the development of Hong Kong. Together, we shall seize the opportunities ahead.
      
     Ladies and gentlemen, from disarray to good governance, Hong Kong is entering a new phase of becoming more prosperous in the next five years. I am determined that the whole government will be working, pragmatically and passionately, for Hong Kong – and our country, building a future we will all be proud of.
      
     The challenges are daunting. But in “one country, two systems”, and our East-meets-West position, as well as the talent and resilience of the people of Hong Kong, I’m confident we have what we need to accomplish what we must.
      
     My thanks, once again, to the South China Morning Post for organising this timely, two-day China Conference. I know you will all enjoy it, and I wish you the best of business, and health, in the coming year.
      
     Thank you.