A spokesman for the Transport Department (TD) announced today (January 31) that as many cross-boundary passengers are expected to travel via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) during the Lunar New Year (LNY) holiday, the TD has been in collaboration with relevant operators to strengthen the local and cross-boundary public transport services by implementing the following measures in order to meet the festive transport demands.

     The HZMB shuttle bus operator has procured 13 new buses, thus increasing its vehicle fleet to over 185. Depending on the passenger flow at the ports of the three places, the operator will appropriately deploy the vehicles to cater for the passenger demand for the Hong Kong/Zhuhai route and Hong Kong/Macao route during peak periods. Moreover, the provision of pre-booking service for group visitors will continue so as to encourage tour groups to take the shuttle bus service by pre-booking of tickets or chartering a bus. This can help better manage the passenger flow at different times of the day and avoid too many group visitors to arrive at and depart from the Hong Kong Port (HKP) at the same time. The waiting and queuing facilities for shuttle bus passengers at the HKP, such as separation of waiting areas and erection of directional signs, have also been further enhanced to facilitate the pre-booking service for group visitors, divert the passenger flow and maintain the boarding and alighting order.
 
     For cross-boundary coach services, an additional ad-hoc quota of 200 has been issued to the existing Guangdong/Hong Kong and Hong Kong/Macao cross-boundary coach operators, increasing the daily trips from 400 to 600. It can help meet the passenger demand during the holidays and divert visitors to different places of Hong Kong.

     For local public transport services, the TD will closely monitor the passenger demand for all the A routes and B routes of franchised bus service at the HKP.  Additional departures will be operated during the peak periods and stand-by buses will also be arranged for special departures to cope with the peaky demand. In the meantime, bus operators will arrange staff at the HKP to maintain the boarding and alighting order. As for the bus stop for route no. B6 in Tung Chung, the Government is concerned about the passenger queuing situation. In view of the local concerns and the discussion at the Islands District Council, the en-route bus stop (Hong Kong Port bound) of route no. B6 has been temporarily relocated to the kerbside of Tat Tung Road near a public toilet during the period from January 28 to February 10, so as to minimise the impact on the residents. The TD and the Police will closely monitor the operation of the bus stop to review the impact on the residents and traffic.

     In order to encourage local coaches to make use of the coach pick-up facilities at the HKP, holding areas are provided near the coach pick-up area starting today so that the coaches can wait temporarily at the holding areas before entering the pick-up area.

     The TD will closely monitor the operations of local and cross-boundary transport services at the HKP during the LNY holiday and will liaise with the operators to implement appropriate measures to cater for the passenger demand when necessary.

     In addition, the TD had a meeting recently with the Tourism Commission, the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong and various local and cross-boundary transport operators to discuss the situation of inbound visitors and transport arrangements at all road-based boundary control points during the LNY holiday. Communication channels have been established to strengthen liaison among the parties concerned.

     Apart from the HZMB HKP, it is expected that the number of cross-boundary passengers at other land boundary control points (such as Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau and Shenzhen Bay Port) will also increase. The spokesman appeals to travelers to plan their journeys in advance and avoid crossing the boundary at peak periods. When facing busy traffic at the control points, the waiting time for public transport services may be longer than usual and passengers should obey the order and follow the instructions of the Police and staff of the relevant public transport operators on site.

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Souvenir Shop launched today (January 31) a series of four souvenir items in collaboration with the social enterprise ADAM.  By jointly developing souvenirs, The Legislative Council Commission acts to foster social inclusion through supporting social enterprise.
    
     The series of souvenir items, including a silk tie, a silk scarf, a document bag and a backpack, is adapted from the painting "Hong Kong Spirit 3" by Ms Liu Tung-mui, an ADAM's resident artist with disability.  Vibrant and bright colours are used in the painting to represent the energetic spirit of modern Hong Kong, making each souvenir item both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
    
     The souvenir items are now exclusively for sale at the LegCo Souvenir Shop while stocks last.
    
     ADAM is the social enterprise set up by the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong, with an aim to provide artists with disabilities with the opportunities to apply their artistic talents to contribute to society.
    
     Ms Liu Tung-mui was motor impaired from birth.  She has overcome difficulties to start painting since 1992 and become an award-winning artist.
    
     The LegCo Souvenir Shop, located at the Main Lobby of the LegCo Complex (1 Legislative Council Road, Central), opens daily from 10am to 6pm.  For more information, please visit the webpage of LegCo Souvenir Shop (https://app.legco.gov.hk/souvenirshop/english/index.aspx).

          

     The Government announced today (January 31) the appointments of 13 new members and re-appointments of nine incumbent members to the Chinese Medicine Development Committee (CMDC).
 
     Meanwhile, Ms Feng Jiu and Mr Tommy Li Ying-sang are appointed as the Chairman of the Chinese Medicine Practice Subcommittee (CMPSC) and the Chinese Medicines Industry Subcommittee (CMISC) under the CMDC respectively.
 
     All appointments will take effect from February 1, 2019, for a term of two years.
 
     The CMDC is chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health to give recommendations to the Government concerning the direction and long-term strategy of the future development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong, focusing on the study of four key areas, namely the development of Chinese medicine services, personnel training and professional development, research and development, and development of the Chinese medicines industry (including Chinese medicines testing). In the past six years, the CMDC has provided valuable advice to the Government on various important issues including the development of a Chinese medicine hospital, integrated Chinese-Western medicine development, the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards Project and the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute. The CMPSC and the CMISC have been set up under the CMDC to focus deliberation on respective areas.
 
     The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, thanked outgoing members of the committee and subcommittees for their invaluable contributions to the development of Chinese medicine.
 
     The membership of the CMDC and the two sub-committees, effective from February 1, 2019, are as follows:

The CMDC
———–

Chairman
———–
Secretary for Food and Health

Non-official Members
——————–
# Mr Chan Wing-kwong
# Professor Chen Hubiao
* Dr Vincent Chung Chi-ho
* Ms Feng Jiu
# Miss Ada Ho Ching-ying
# Mrs Jeanie Hu Leung Tze-wai
# Miss Hui So-fong
* Professor Lao Lixing
* Professor Lee Chack-fan
* Professor Leung Ting-hung
* Mr Tommy Li Ying-sang
* Professor Lyu Aiping
# Dr Lui Sing-leung
# Dr Or Ka-hang
# Ms Tang Mui-fun
# Dr Tse Man-li
# Ms Wang Huimin
* Mr Kenlay Wong Kong-hui
# Ms Wong Suet-ying
# Miss Wong Yu-yeuk
* Ms Teresa Yeung Siu-lin
# Mr Timothy Yung Tsz-ho

Ex-officio Members
——————–
Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health)
Commissioner for Innovation and Technology
Director of Health
Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority

Note:
# New appointments
* Re-appointments
 
The CMPSC
————

Chairman
———–
Ms Feng Jiu

Non-official Members
——————–
Professor Bian Zhaoxiang
Mr Chan Kam-wah
Mr Jacob Chan Wai-ho
Mr Chan Wing-kwong
Dr Vincent Chung Chi-ho
Miss Ada Ho Ching-ying
Dr Ho Wing-tim
Mrs Jeanie Hu Leung Tze-wai
Miss Hui So-fong
Mr Lam Kar-wing
Miss Lam Pui-yan
Professor Lao Lixing
Dr Peggy Lee Siu-pik
Professor Leung Ting-hung
Mr Tommy Li Ying-sang
Professor Liong Ching
Miss Irene Lui Kam-oi
Dr Lui Sing-leung
Dr So Tsz-him
Dr Tse Man-li
Ms Wang Huimin
Dr Wong Chung-leung
Ms Wong Hung-ngan
Professor James Wong Ngar-kok
Ms Wong Suet-ying
Miss Wong Yu-yeuk

Ex-officio Members
——————–
Representative(s) from the Food and Health Bureau
Representative(s) from the Department of Health
Representative(s) from the Hospital Authority
 
The CMISC
————

Chairman
———–
Mr Tommy Li Ying-sang

Non-official Members
———————–
Professor Chen Hubiao
Mr Cheung Chun-hoi
Dr Priscilla Choy Wai-fun
Miss Ada Ho Ching-ying
Miss Hui So-fong
Professor Lao Lixing
Mr Dominic Lam Chun-hong
Ms Li Handong
Mr William Lo Ching-ping
Miss Winnie Ng Wing-mui
Dr Or Ka-hang
Mr Tam Kwok-leung
Ms Tang Mui-fun
Mr Ting Wing-fai
Mr Tsang Yiu-tong
Mr Wong Ka-on
Mr Kenlay Wong Kong-hui
Ms Wong Suet-ying
Mr Harry Yeung Kwok-chun
Mr Timothy Yung Tsz-ho
Dr Zhang Qingling

Ex-officio Members
——————–
Representative(s) from the Food and Health Bureau
Representative(s) from the Department of Health
Representative(s) from the Innovation and Technology Commission

     The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, visited Islands District this afternoon (January 31), meeting with members of the Islands District Council (IDC) and attending a briefing session by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) on a number of airport development projects. He also toured a community service centre in Tung Chung and visited two families in the district.

     Accompanied by the District Officer (Islands), Mr Anthony Li, Mr Nip first met with the Chairman of the IDC, Mr Chow Yuk-tong, and members of the IDC to exchange views on district and community affairs.

     Mr Nip then paid a visit to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), where he was briefed by representatives of the AA on the latest progress of various airport expansion projects, including the Three-Runway System, SkyCity and the premium logistics centre at Kwo Lo Wan.

     Mr Nip said, "With the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and improvement in the infrastructure network of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), HKIA will serve as the 'double gateway' connecting Hong Kong with other parts of the world and the GBA. When the various airport development projects are completed, Hong Kong will further strengthen its leading position as an international aviation and cargo hub in the world."

     Mr Nip also went to the HKIA taxi station to see the implementation of "Luggage Ambassador", a scheme jointly organised by the AA and a non-government organisation in Tung Chung. He chatted with two ethnic minority students who were working as luggage ambassadors there to learn about their life and study in Hong Kong.

     He then visited an integrated services centre in Tung Chung and toured the centre's new services and facilities. The centre has been set up for more than 20 years and provides various community services, including medical and employment services, family education, and volunteer work for children, families, the elderly and new arrivals in Tung Chung. He encouraged staff members of the centre to continue to provide professional community support to Tung Chung residents with a view to building an inclusive and caring community.

     Mr Nip also visited two families in Tung Chung to understand their daily life and needs, and offered New Year greetings to them ahead of the Lunar New Year.

  

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (January 30) conducted an anti-smuggling operation and detected a suspected smuggling case using a fishing vessel in the waters off Waglan Island. About 200 000 kilograms of suspected smuggled frozen meat with an estimated market value of about $5.7 million were seized.

     Customs officers of the Marine Enforcement Group spotted a suspicious fishing vessel leaving Hong Kong at high speed yesterday afternoon. Officers then took immediate action and intercepted the fishing vessel for examination. The batch of suspected smuggled frozen meat was seized on board the vessel.

     During the operation, Customs officers arrested two male crew members, aged 53 and 39.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

     Hong Kong Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action to combat sea smuggling activities.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).