The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority: As at noon today (May 29), no COVID-19 confirmed patient was discharged from hospital in the past 24 hours. So far, a total of 1 035 confirmed and suspected patients ha… read more
Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, on Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) and the Hong Kong Policy Act Report released by the US State Department at a media session after attending a meeting of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council today (May 29):
Reporter: Have you narrowed down the list of the members of the (RTHK) task force? Can you further address concerns that this would affect the editorial independence of RTHK? My second question is about the ongoing concerns raised by the international community on the national security law. Is it the Government’s attitude to just shrug off all concerns and tell everyone that nothing will be affected in Hong Kong, instead of actually addressing and conveying those messages and their concerns to Beijing?
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development: On your first question about RTHK, we have not yet come up with the list (the line-up). We will issue it in the fullness of time.
As regards the US policy towards Hong Kong, I think we have stated time and again that the special trading status that Hong Kong enjoys is part and parcel of the “one country, two systems”, because this provision has been given to Hong Kong by the Basic Law, Articles 116 and 151. It is not a gift (given) unilaterally by any trading partner. In fact, it is also recognised multilaterally, throughout the world, through our multilateral trading relations as well as our membership under the World Trade Organization. We take exception to the US policy recently announced by their Secretary of State towards Hong Kong, because it gives no regards to Hong Kong’s constant upholding of “one country, two systems”. We have explained very clearly why the national security law is needed, i.e. largely to plug the loophole in our constitutional arrangement. We accept that we have not been able to fulfil our constitutional obligation to enact this part of the law under Article 23 of the Basic Law. Therefore, particularly in the light of things that happened in the last two years, the social unrest and the problems that we encountered, the Central Government has taken this exceptional step to introduce (the national security law) to plug this loophole. We see there is a need to do so.
As regards the US’ position, I think, in my personal view, it is hypocritical to say on the one hand that you stand by or support the people of Hong Kong, but (on the other hand) what the US Government is trying to do would intend to harm Hong Kong’s interests. It is also self-kidding to say that this would only harm one side of the equation. Actually, trading relations is a two-way street. So our reaction and our forecast is that it would hurt the bilateral relations between Hong Kong and the US. Look at the trade figures, we have seen a major decline between the US and China, and also between Hong Kong and the US, as a result of the trade tension between the two (the US and China). We have been suffering from the collateral damage of the US-China trade tension, and I believe this would also harm further the US’ interest in Hong Kong, which we have all along considered it as a mutual benefit.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) read more
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (May 29) announced that a sample of a bottled apple juice drink imported from Australia was found to be contaminated with a mycotoxin, patulin, at a level exceeding the action level adopted by the CFS. A follow-up is in progress.
“The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample at a supermarket in To Kwa Wan for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained patulin at a level of 110 parts per billion (ppb), exceeding the action level of 50 ppb adopted by the CFS. The level is the same as the standard of the Codex Alimentarius Commission on patulin in apple juice,” a CFS spokesman said.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Cold Pressed Granny Smith Apple
Brand: Presha Fruit
Country of origin: Australia
Distributor: A.S. Watson Group (HK) Ltd.
Volume: 350ml per bottle
Best-before date: August 7, 2020
The CFS has informed the importer, PARKnSHOP (HK) Limited, and the distributor concerned of the irregularity. The importer and distributor concerned have stopped sale and removed from shelves the affected batch of the product, and initiated a recall according to the CFS’ instructions. Members of the public may call the distributor’s hotline at 2606 8658 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.
“Patulin mostly occurs in rotten apple and its products. Animal studies have shown that ingesting high doses of patulin can induce liver, spleen and kidney damage, as well as toxicity to the immune system. For humans, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances and vomiting have been reported,” the spokesman said.
According to Section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), all food for sale in Hong Kong, locally produced or imported, should be fit for human consumption. An offender is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.
The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. An investigation is ongoing. read more
The Chief Executive in Council has given approval for the Government to invite the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) to proceed with the detailed planning and design of the Tuen Mun South (TMS) Extension project. &nbs… read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: The Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited (HKMC) today (May 29) published its Annual Report for 2019. The Report reviews the business perform… read more