The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

     Hong Kong cross-disciplinary artist-curator Wong Chi-yung and filmmaker Jeremy Hung have started their six-month residency programme at Yale University in New Haven under the Hong Kong Arts Activators Fellowship programme of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (HKETONY).
 
     Sponsored by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and administered by the Yale-China Association, the arts activators fellowship programme aims to nurture emerging leaders from Hong Kong's arts and culture sector and foster partnership and exchanges between Hong Kong and the United States.
 
     Speaking at a welcome reception in New Haven today (January 21, New Haven time), the Director of HKETONY, Ms Joanne Chu, said this is the second consecutive year of HKETONY's partnership with the Yale-China Association in the arts activators programme. Previously, from 2015 to 2017, HKETONY had also partnered with the Association to provide another fellowship programme for Hong Kong artists.
 
     "With new major arts and culture infrastructure coming online in Hong Kong, we are pleased to support and nurture the development of local art talents through this arts activators programme," Ms Chu said.
 
     Wishing the two activators a rewarding experience, Ms Chu said she hopes they can further broaden their horizons and enrich their professional skills in arts administration during their six-month residency at Yale University.
 
     "We believe they will add further impetus to the city's vibrant arts and culture scene when they return to Hong Kong," she said.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, leading a Hong Kong delegation, arrived in Davos, Switzerland at noon today (January 21, Davos time) to start her three-day visit to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting. She attended a WEF session with an address by the Vice Premier of the State Council, Mr Han Zheng, and met with the Prime Minister of Singapore and the Prime Minister of Luxembourg to brief them on the latest situation in Hong Kong.
 
     Mrs Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, met the Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, and the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Mr Xavier Bettel, separately in the afternoon. She said Hong Kong experienced an unprecedented challenge last year, but with its solid foundation, she expressed confidence that the city is capable of overcoming the current difficulties. She emphasised that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has all along been adhering to three principles in handling the social unrest, namely upholding the "One Country, Two Systems" principle and the Basic Law, respecting and safeguarding the rule of law and protecting Hong Kong's institutional strengths.
 
     Noting in her meeting with Mr Lee that the parts relating to several member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Singapore, under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Hong Kong and ASEAN entered into force in June last year, Mrs Lam expressed her gratitude to the Government of Singapore for its long-standing support for the signing of the FTA. She said she hopes that, after the 10 member states of ASEAN and the six partners that had signed an FTA with ASEAN have completed their negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Hong Kong can start negotiation with Singapore on accession to the RCEP.
 
     In the meeting with Mr Bettel, Mrs Lam said she was pleased to meet him again following their previous meeting in Davos last year and noted that Luxembourg signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative with China in March last year. She invited representatives of enterprises in Luxembourg to join the fifth Belt and Road Summit scheduled to be held in Hong Kong in September this year to explore new business opportunities for various sectors with political and business leaders from Hong Kong as well as other countries and regions. To further explore co-operation in the financial area between the two places, Mrs Lam also invited Mr Bettel to consider attending the 14th Asian Financial Forum next year.
 
     Invited to attend the WEF session "Expanding Asia's Technology Leadership" at noon, Mrs Lam, one of the discussion leaders, pointed out that Asia is emerging as an important region for innovation and technology (I&T) with a number of top I&T enterprises and universities in the region. Asia's large population has created high demand for innovative products, which has offered great business opportunities for I&T companies. She said that five universities in Hong Kong are ranked in the global top 100, providing Hong Kong with a large pool of research talent and great potential in I&T development. As an international financial centre, Hong Kong can also provide plenty of capital for I&T development. She said that to promote further development, about $100 billion has been allocated by the current-term Government for I&T, including the establishment of two world-class research clusters specialising in healthcare technologies and artificial intelligence and robotics technologies at the Hong Kong Science Park, with a view to building Hong Kong as an international I&T centre, playing an important role in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
 
     In the afternoon, Mrs Lam met with the Vice Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), Mr Fang Xinghai. She expressed her gratitude to the Central People's Government and the CSRC for their support for the development of Hong Kong as an international financial centre and a global offshore Renminbi (RMB) business hub. She said that, despite the social unrest in the past seven months, Hong Kong's financial sector has remained stable and gained good progress in securities and bond markets. She said that as the country continues to promote the opening up of the financial industry and more RMB assets are included in major international indexes, Hong Kong's capital market will be able to play a bigger role and make further contributions.
 
     During the day, Mrs Lam also gave interviews to two international media organisations separately. In the evening, she attended a dinner hosted by the Founder and Executive Chairman of the WEF, Professor Klaus Schwab, for guests attending the Annual Meeting from around the world.
 
     Mrs Lam will continue her visit to Davos tomorrow (January 22, Davos time).

                  

     Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in Pat Heung last night (January 21) in which a 51-year-old man died.

     At about 10.25pm last night, a medium goods vehicle (MGV) driven by the 51-year-old man was travelling along Tsing Long Highway towards Yuen Long. When reaching Pok Oi Interchange, it reportedly lost control and side-turned.

     The MGV driver was trapped inside the compartment and was rescued by firemen. Sustaining multiple injuries, he was sent to Pok Oi Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 11.14pm.

     Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories North is underway.

     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 3800 or 3661 3858.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, who is currently on duty visit in Davos, Switzerland, today (January 22) expressed shock and sadness over the passing of three Customs officers in a vessel sinking incident when they were carrying out duties near Sha Chau, and extended her deepest condolences to their families. She also expressed sympathy to the other two officers who were injured in the incident and hoped that they would recover soon.

     "The Hong Kong Customs is entrusted with the important tasks of law enforcement and customs control, including dangerous duties such as combating smuggling and drug trafficking. Customs officers have always been fearless and dedicated to serving the public with professionalism. I am profoundly grieved by the unfortunate loss of three Customs colleagues who were on duty last night and I offer my deepest condolences to their families. The Civil Service Bureau and the Customs and Excise Department will make every effort to support the families," Mrs Lam said.