Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, continued to meet with stakeholders in the community at a briefing session today (April 1) to explain the improvements to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)’s electoral system, enabling them to have a better understanding of the matter and thereby render their support.

     The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed the amended Annex I to the Basic Law on Method for the Selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Annex II to the Basic Law on Method for the Formation of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Its Voting Procedures for improving the electoral system of the HKSAR. The Department of Justice will give its full support to the Government’s work with a view to improving the electoral system as early as possible.

     Ms Cheng said that the improvements aim to expand the balanced and orderly political participation as well as provide a broader representation of society, reflecting the overall interests of society and signifying an important move to advance Hong Kong’s democratic electoral system.

     To explain to the community on the importance, necessity and legality of improving the HKSAR’s electoral system, Ms Cheng has attended briefing sessions for two consecutive days, striving to gain its staunch support.

    

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, today (April 1) met with representatives from the business and accounting sectors to explain the amendments to Annex I to the Basic Law on Method for the Selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Annex II to the Basic Law on Method for the Formation of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and its Voting Procedures approved by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in regard to the Decision of the National People’s Congress on improving the electoral system of the HKSAR.

     Two briefing sessions were conducted, with a total of more than 30 representatives of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the accounting sector attending. The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, also attended the session with the accounting sector. Mr Chan spoke on the background, objectives and amendment details of the improvements to the electoral system, exchanged views with participants and answered questions they raised. He also encouraged participants to brief their sectors and the international community on the improvements to the electoral system, including the importance, necessity and urgency of the amendments.

     Mr Chan said, “An improved electoral system will strengthen the executive-led political system and enhance the governance capability of the HKSAR Government, thereby enabling the community as a whole to focus on progressively resolving Hong Kong’s deep-seated issues to allow sustained social and economic stability and prosperity. The HKSAR Government will spare no effort in explaining the amendments and in pressing ahead with the work on amending relevant ordinances to strive for early and full implementation of the new electoral system.”

      

The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:
 
     The Research Grants Council (RGC) will present public lectures under the theme “Medical Technology and Society” on April 10 (Saturday) at the Hong Kong Central Library. The public lectures were originally scheduled in last December.
 
     The RGC has invited Patrick Huen Wing Ming Professor of Systems Engineering & Engineering Management of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Helen Meng, and Professor of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of the University of Hong Kong, Kevin Tsia, to share their research findings and knowledge with the public. Details are as follows:
 
Time: 10.30am to 12.30pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre, G/F, Hong Kong Central Library
Language: Cantonese
Admission: Free (seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis)
Interested parties can also watch the live broadcast of the lectures through the Multimedia Information System of the Hong Kong Public Libraries via the Internet (mmis.hkpl.gov.hk).
 
     Population ageing is a global concern. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people aged over 60 will nearly double to make up 22 per cent of the world’s population by 2050, while the number of Hong Kong people aged over 65 will rise to make up 35 per cent of the local population. Neurocognitive disorders (NCD), which include various types of dementia – are particularly prominent in elderly people. As spoken language can be easily captured (even remotely) and enables sensitive cognitive assessments, Professor Meng’s team is developing Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven technologies to automatically extract spoken language biomarkers for early detection of NCD. She will deliver a talk titled “AI for Cognitive Health” to share how AI-enabled healthcare contributes to better NCD management. This aligns with the WHO’s plan of making dementia a public health and social care priority at national and international levels.
 
     In the past 10 years, laser microscopy has successfully permeated not only biochemistry and cell/molecular biology research, but also numerous preclinical and clinical applications. Professor Tsia will introduce the latest breakthrough in laser microscopy technologies developed at the University of Hong Kong in his talk titled “Decoding health and disease with high-speed laser imaging technologies”. These technologies include capturing high-resolution motion pictures of the swift-flying brain signals in a living animal, visualising the inner workings of biological cells and microorganisms in 3D without killing them, and detecting rare cancer cells among hundreds of millions of normal blood cells efficiently and effectively. Not only can these technologies expand the realm of biological research (e.g. in neuroscience), but they will also create many new opportunities in cost-effective clinical diagnosis, especially cancer screening. 
 
     The public lectures of the RGC aim at arousing public interest in local research developments. Since 2009, the RGC has invited numerous leading scholars to speak at these lectures. For updates on the arrangement of the public lectures, please visit the University Grants Committee webpage (www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/about/events/lectures/lectures.html). read more

     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Caspar Tsui, today (April 1) visited the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC) and met with the officers of the SF&OC to explain the improvements to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)’s electoral system, enabling the officers to have a better understanding of the matter and the related work.
 
     Mr Tsui stressed that the improvements to the electoral system of the HKSAR will not only safeguard the constitutional order as set out by the Constitution and the Basic Law, but also enhance the governance efficacy of the HKSAR. As such, the “one country, two systems” principle will continue to be implemented steadfastly. The long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong will also be maintained.
 
     The Home Affairs Bureau will fully engage in the relevant work and provide explanations to various sectors on the importance, necessity and legality of improving the HKSAR’s electoral system in order to gain their staunch support. read more

     The Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, today (April 1) hosted two briefing sessions to brief and exchange views with members of the education sector on the amended Annex I to the Basic Law on Method for the Selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Annex II to the Basic Law on Method for the Formation of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Its Voting Procedures passed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for improving the electoral system of the HKSAR.
 
     Participants included representatives from school councils and principals’ associations in relation to kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools as well as other education organisations. Also present were the Permanent Secretary for Education, Ms Michelle Li, and the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin.
 
     Mr Yeung said that improving the electoral system of the HKSAR could establish a political structure that upholds the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong”, ensuring the steadfast and successful implementation of “one country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy as well as maintaining the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and its sustainable development.
 
     He expressed his belief that after improving the system, the executive authorities and the legislature would work smoothly together to expedite people-oriented policies and measures, including providing schools, teachers and students with a more stable learning and teaching environment and solving the problems faced by the education sector.
 
     Mr Yeung will continue to meet with other members of the education sector, including stakeholders from government advisory bodies on education, school sponsoring bodies and the post-secondary education sector, enabling them to have a better understanding of the matter and render their support to related work.