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     â€‹The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the visiting Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, at Government House today (April 25). Also present at the meeting were the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Carol Yip.
      
     Mr Lee welcomed Mr Albudaiwi’s visit to Hong Kong with his delegation. Mr Lee said he is pleased to meet with Mr Albudaiwi in Hong Kong again since they last met during his visit to Saudi Arabia in February last year to exchange views on further strengthening co-operation between Hong Kong and GCC member states in such areas as trade, investment, finance and technology.
      
     Noting that GCC member states are Hong Kong’s valued trading and investment partners, Mr Lee said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has actively forged close ties with GCC member states in order to promote exchanges on various aspects. As part of these efforts, the HKSAR Government held the eighth Belt and Road Summit with the addition of the Middle East Forum last September to focus on the new developments and opportunities arising from the Middle East markets under the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, while the Asian Financial Forum held in January this year was well received with many political and business leaders of GCC member states. In addition, the principal officials of the HKSAR Government have visited a number of GCC member countries to learn more about the latest developments of the Arab States of the Gulf and introduce Hong Kong’s development opportunities to local political, business and professional sector leaders. Meanwhile, the HKSAR Government is planning to establish an Economic and Trade Office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a view to continuously enhancing the economic and trade relations with GCC member states.
      
     Mr Lee welcomed enterprises and investors of the GCC member states to capitalise on Hong Kong’s distinctive advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle, as a strategic location on the doorstep of Mainland China, as well as its world-class financial infrastructure and rich pool of professionals, to tap into the vast opportunities offered by the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development.
      
     The GCC consists of six member states, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

  

     The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, today (April 25) presented certificates to awardees under the HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund (GSF) and the Self-financing Post-secondary Education Fund (SPEF) for the 2023/24 academic year at the GSF and SPEF Joint Scholarship Presentation Ceremony 2024.

     Over 6 000 meritorious post-secondary students received scholarships and awards, amounting to about $180 million in total. Both the GSF and the SPEF also give recognition to meritorious post-secondary students with special educational needs (SEN) through the Endeavour Merit Award and the Endeavour Scholarship. This year, a total of around 580 SEN students were given the awards/scholarships.

     Dr Choi said that the generous scholarship and award schemes not only highlight the Government’s commitment to, and efforts in, nurturing talent, but also play an active role in developing Hong Kong as an international hub for post-secondary education. 

     The GSF was established in 2008 to attract outstanding local students to advance their studies at home, and meritorious non-local students to pursue higher education opportunities in Hong Kong. There are five types of scholarships and awards under the GSF, namely Scholarships for Outstanding Performance, Targeted Scholarship, Talent Development Scholarship, Reaching Out Award and Endeavour Merit Award. Scholarships and awards are offered to students studying full-time publicly funded sub-degree, undergraduate-level and above programmes. In the 2023/24 academic year, over 1 900 students received the scholarships/awards, including over 1 200 local students and about 700 non-local students. In terms of levels of study, about 1 300 students were at an undergraduate level and above, while about 600 students were at the sub-degree level.

     In addition, the Belt and Road (B&R) Scholarship was introduced under the Targeted Scholarship Scheme to encourage students from B&R countries/regions to pursue studies in Hong Kong. In the 2023/24 academic year, 100 students from 21 B&R countries/regions have been awarded this scholarship for the first time.

     The Self-financing Post-secondary Scholarship Scheme (SPSS) was established under the SPEF in 2011 to promote the quality and sustainable development of the self-financing post-secondary sector. There are five types of scholarships and awards under the scheme, namely Outstanding Performance Scholarship, Best Progress Award, Talent Development Scholarship, Reaching Out Award and Endeavour Scholarship. These scholarships and awards are offered to students pursuing full-time locally accredited self-financing sub-degree or undergraduate programmes. In the 2023/24 academic year, the SPEF offered scholarships and awards to about 3 800 local and about 300 non-local students. In terms of levels of study, about 2 300 of them pursued undergraduate studies while about 1 800 students were at the sub-degree level.

     A list of participating institutions is at Annex I. A broad distribution of the scholarship recipients is set out at Annex II. Details of the scholarships and awards under the GSF are available at the Education Bureau’s website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/postsecondary/local-higher-edu/publicly-funded-programmes/scholarship.html). Those under the SPSS as well as the SPEF are available at the Committee on Self-financing Post-secondary Education’s website (www.cspe.edu.hk/en/index.html). read more

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (April 25) the external merchandise trade statistics for March 2024. In March 2024, the values of Hong Kong’s total exports and imports of goods both recorded year-on-year increases, at 4.7% and 5.3% respectively.
 
     In March 2024, the value of total exports of goods increased by 4.7% over a year earlier to $384.5 billion, after a year-on-year decrease by 0.8% in February 2024. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 5.3% over a year earlier to $429.5 billion in March 2024, after a year-on-year decrease by 1.8% in February 2024. A visible trade deficit of $45.0 billion, equivalent to 10.5% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in March 2024.
 
     For the first quarter of 2024 as a whole, the value of total exports of goods increased by 11.9% over the same period in 2023. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 8.0%. A visible trade deficit of $83.6 billion, equivalent to 7.3% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in the first quarter of 2024.
 
     Comparing the first quarter of 2024 with the preceding quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total exports of goods increased by 5.7%. Meanwhile, the value of imports of goods increased by 3.1%.
 
Analysis by country/territory
 
     Comparing March 2024 with March 2023, total exports to Asia as a whole grew by 8.1%. In this region, increases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations, in particular Vietnam (+41.6%), Thailand (+20.6%), Malaysia (+18.6%) and the mainland of China (the Mainland) (+12.1%). On the other hand, decreases were recorded in the values of total exports to Taiwan (-22.3%) and India (-17.9%).
 
     Apart from destinations in Asia, decreases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations in other regions, in particular the United Kingdom (-31.5%), Germany (-15.5%) and the USA (-5.4%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports from most major suppliers, in particular Korea (+67.5%), Vietnam (+53.0%), Thailand (+25.2%), Singapore (+13.6%) and the Mainland (+4.1%). On the other hand, decreases were recorded in the values of imports from India (-14.6%) and Taiwan (-5.9%).
 
     For the first quarter of 2024 as a whole, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations, in particular Thailand (+38.8%), the United Arab Emirates (+20.8%), the Mainland (+20.2%), Vietnam (+17.7%) and India (+12.9%). On the other hand, a decrease was recorded in the value of total exports to the Netherlands (-27.8%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of imports from some major suppliers, in particular Korea (+58.4%), Vietnam (+37.9%), Thailand (+19.6%), Singapore (+15.3%), the USA (+13.9%) and the Mainland (+9.8%). On the other hand, a decrease was recorded in the value of imports from India (-11.6%).
 
Analysis by major commodity
 
     Comparing March 2024 with March 2023, increases were registered in the values of total exports of some principal commodity divisions, in particular “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” (by $8.7 billion or +4.8%) and “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment” (by $5.7 billion or +14.2%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” (by $10.6 billion or +5.8%) and “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment” (by $7.5 billion or +18.3%).
 
     For the first quarter of 2024 as a whole, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of total exports of some principal commodity divisions, in particular “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” (by $60.9 billion or +13.7%) and “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment” (by $19.5 billion or +16.9%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” (by $44.3 billion or +9.9%) and “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment” (by $16.6 billion or +14.2%).
 
Commentary
 
     A Government spokesman said that the value of merchandise exports continued to grow in March 2024 over a year earlier.  Exports to the Mainland rose further, while those to the United States and the European Union fell. Those to other major Asian markets showed mixed performance.
 
     Looking ahead, geopolitical tensions and a longer period of tight financial conditions will continue to affect Hong Kong’s export performance, though the slightly better-than-expected external demand may provide some support. The Government will monitor the situation closely.
 
Further information
 
     Table 1 presents the analysis of external merchandise trade statistics for March 2024. Table 2 presents the original monthly trade statistics from January 2021 to March 2024, and Table 3 gives the seasonally adjusted series for the same period.
 
     The values of total exports of goods to 10 main destinations for March 2024 are shown in Table 4, whereas the values of imports of goods from 10 main suppliers are given in Table 5.
 
     Tables 6 and 7 show the values of total exports and imports of 10 principal commodity divisions for March 2024.
 
     All the merchandise trade statistics described here are measured at current prices and no account has been taken of changes in prices between the periods of comparison. A separate analysis of the volume and price movements of external merchandise trade for March 2024 will be released in mid-May 2024.
 
     The March 2024 issue of “Hong Kong External Merchandise Trade” contains detailed analysis on the performance of Hong Kong’s external merchandise trade in March 2024 and will be available in early May 2024. Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020005&scode=230).
 
     Enquiries on merchandise trade statistics may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4691).
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     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (April 24) conducted a special operation in Mong Kok to combat the sale of counterfeit goods and seized about 4 900 items of suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $2.1 million.
      
     Customs earlier conducted patrols and discovered some fixed-pitch hawker stalls selling suspected counterfeit goods in Mong Kok. After investigations, Customs officers took enforcement action yesterday and raided 17 fixed-pitch hawker stalls on Tung Choi Street and a nearby storage site for counterfeit goods upstairs. A batch of suspected counterfeit goods, including handbags, leather goods, accessories, was seized.
      
     During the operation, two women, aged 37 and 45, were arrested.
      
     An investigation is ongoing.
      
     With the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland approaching, Customs will continue to step up inspection and enforcement to vigorously combat different kinds of counterfeit goods activities before and during the holidays in order to safeguard consumer rights at full strength.
      
     Customs reminds consumers to procure goods at reputable shops and to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt. Traders should be cautious and prudent in merchandising since the sale of counterfeit goods is a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.
      
     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

  

     The Government announced today (April 25) that Mr Kevin Choi, Private Secretary to the Chief Executive, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary, Chief Executive’s Office on May 14, 2024, when Mr Daniel Cheng Chung-wai commences his pre-retirement leave on the same day.
 
     Commenting on the appointment of Mr Choi, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said, “Mr Choi is a seasoned Administrative Officer with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that he will shoulder the heavy responsibilities with professionalism in his new capacity.”
 
     On the retirement of Mr Cheng who will proceed on pre-retirement leave, Mrs Yeung said, “Mr Cheng has rendered 35 years of loyal and dedicated service. During his tenure as Permanent Secretary, Chief Executive’s Office, Mr Cheng provided wise counsel for the Chief Executive in the preparation for his first two Policy Addresses and other key policymaking processes. He also played an instrumental role in ensuring the smooth and effective operation of the Chief Executive’s Office with his extensive experience in public administration, governance and protocol matters over the years. I wish him a fulfilling and happy retirement.”
 
     Brief biographical notes of the two officers are set out below:
 
Mr Daniel Cheng Chung-wai
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     Mr Cheng joined the Administrative Service in July 1989 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2022. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Finance Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Health and Welfare Branch, the former Trade and Industry Branch, the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing, the former Planning and Lands Bureau (later reorganised as Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau), the former Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau, the former Education and Manpower Bureau (later renamed as Education Bureau), the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, and the former Food and Health Bureau. He was Director of Administration from July 2020 to May 2022, Secretary-General, Office of the Chief Executive-elect from May 2022 to June 2022, and has been serving as Permanent Secretary, Chief Executive’s Office since July 1, 2022.
 
Mr Kevin Choi
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     Mr Choi joined the Administrative Service in October 1997 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2022. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Planning, Environment and Lands Bureau (later renamed as Planning and Lands Bureau), the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the former Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau (later reorganised as Commerce and Economic Development Bureau), the Chief Executive’s Office, the Development Bureau, and the Civil Aviation Department. He served as Deputy Secretary in the former Transport and Housing Bureau from September 2017 to December 2020, Deputy Secretary in the former Food and Health Bureau (later reorganised as Health Bureau) from December 2020 to February 2023, and has been serving as Private Secretary to the Chief Executive since February 2023.