The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, attended the Swiss International Finance Forum (SIFF) in Zurich yesterday (October 25, Zurich time) and concluded his visit to Switzerland.
 
     Early in the morning, Mr Lau took part in the SIFF and delivered a keynote speech on "40 years of reform and opening up in China: A Hong Kong Perspective". He said that in the spectacular growth of China over the years, Hong Kong is proud to have played an important and irreplaceable role to channel investment flow into and out of China. Hong Kong’s development of the offshore Renminbi (RMB) market also helped with the internationalisation of the RMB.
 
     He also shared that China had entered into a new era of economic development and had shifted from a quantitative growth model to a higher quality growth in recent years. He cited advances in the areas of technology, sustainable development and regional connectivity as tools to promote such growth. Hong Kong is well positioned to capitalise on its unique role in connecting the overseas and Mainland markets.
 
     Under the theme "Towards a New Balance – Collaboration, Courage, Trust", this year's forum has invited seasoned experts from Switzerland and abroad to discuss the new reality in the finance sector and explore possible future scenarios on the financial market. There are also parallel sessions focusing on cryptocurrencies, blockchain, cybersecurity, and asset management.
 
     In the afternoon, Mr Lau had a meeting with the Chairman of Asset Management Platform of Swiss Bankers Association, Mr Iwan Deplazes, during which they exchanged views on how to foster closer ties on asset and wealth management. 
 
     After that, Mr Lau met with the Executive Manager of Crypto Valley Association, Mr Kevin Lally, to learn about the latest ecosystem for blockchain and cryptographic technologies in Switzerland.
 
     Mr Lau also met with the Director of Swiss FinTech Innovation Laboratory, Dr Thomas Puschmann, and exchanged views on ways to nurture Fintech talents and mutual collaboration.
 
     Before concluding the visit, Mr Lau attended a dinner hosted by the Chinese Consul-General in Zurich, Dr Zhao Qinghua.  
 
     Mr Lau will be back in Hong Kong this afternoon (October 26).

        

     A shrimp trawler suspected of operating illegally was intercepted in an anti-illegal fishing operation jointly mounted by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Marine Police in the waters of the Soko Islands area last night (October 24).
 
      At about 7.10pm last night, AFCD officers and the Marine Police found a shrimp trawler suspected to be trawling in the waters east of Cheung Muk Tau. They signalled to the vessel to stop for an inspection but it failed to comply. The vessel arrest system was deployed to stop it. Apparatus suspected to be used for trawling were seized on board the vessel.
 
      Charges were laid today (October 25) against two Mainland men found on the vessel. They were respectively suspected to have contravened the Fisheries Protection Regulations by using prohibited fishing gear and the Fisheries Protection Ordinance by failing to comply with instruction to stop the vessel for inspection. They will appear at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (October 26).

    An AFCD spokesman reminded the public that the ban on trawling came into force on December 31, 2012. Under the Fisheries Protection Ordinance, any person who contravenes the ban is liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

      The spokesman said that trawling is a non-selective fishing operation which damages the seabed and marine ecosystems. A ban on trawling brings this harmful depletion to an immediate halt, enabling marine ecosystems to be gradually rehabilitated to a sustainable level and be better conserved in the long run.

      The spokesman said, "The AFCD and the Police will continue to carry out joint enforcement operations to crack down on illegal fishing activities."

  

     Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival today (October 25):

Peter (Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Dr Peter Lam), Mr Delaux (Deputy Mayor of Bordeaux, Mr Stephan Delaux), Allan (President of the Bordeaux Wine Council, Mr Allan Sichel), Mr Jiang (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Limited, Mr Jiang Xianzhou), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, wine lovers all, 

     Good evening.

     Welcome to the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival on this lovely autumn evening by the harbour in Asia's world city. And Asia's wine city, too.

     This year, we celebrate the Festival's 10th anniversary – a decade of wining and dining, of drinking in the good life here in Hong Kong. 

     In Chinese, the number 10 has the meaning of perfection. 

     I think the Wine & Dine Festival found its way to excellence a good while back. And year after year, it just keeps getting better. 

     This 10th anniversary festival, ladies and gentlemen, is the most ambitious to date. Certainly the largest, expanding past the Central waterfront. More than 30 countries and regions are participating, a big jump over last year's 21 countries and regions. Booth totals are also expanding – to 450, up from 400 last year. They include, I should add, nearly 320 wine booths in six thematic zones. 

     In celebration of the Festival's anniversary, Wine & Dine 10th Edition Specials are on offer, together with a series called 2009 Vintage, which includes selections from Robert Parker's 100-Point red wines. That sounds almost perfect. 

     Speaking of which, you'll want to pick up the Perfect 10 Passport, a winning combination of wine and food pairings to share with family and friends, new and old. 

     Speaking of food, two new zones have been introduced – International Street Eats and Coffee Fiesta, the latter filled with lots of sweet treats.

     I'd say we deserve them. With the help of this annual autumn celebration, Hong Kong has emerged as Asia's wine hub and a global centre for wine trading and auctions. In the first half of this year, we imported more than HK$6 billion worth of wine from all over the world. That, ladies and gentlemen, reflects year-on-year growth of 9 per cent. 

     Our top three wine importers in 2017 were France, Australia and the United Kingdom.

     In June we signed an MoU with Bordeaux, our long-time partners in wine-and-food tourism promotion. 

     Another MoU – this one expanding co-operation in wine-related education and manpower training between Bordeaux and Hong Kong – is in the pipeline, or perhaps it should be a "wine line".

     The agreements will boost our role as the ambassador for the best wines from Bordeaux and other resplendent wine-making regions.

     Ladies and gentlemen, the Wine & Dine Festival is like vintage wine – maturing, and improving, with each passing year.

     I know you will drink in, and savour, every memorable moment.

     For that I am grateful to the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Wine & Dine Festival's fabulous sponsors. 

     May I wish you all good health and happiness, with good food and good wine. Cheers!

        

     The Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, visited Yuen Long District today (October 25) and met with local District Council members to exchange views on district matters. He also visited the former Lau Fau Shan Police Station revitalisation project.

     Accompanied by the District Officer (Yuen Long), Mr Enoch Yuen, Mr Wong first met with the Chairman of the Yuen Long District Council, Mr Shum Ho-kit, and local District Council members to gain a better understanding of the latest developments and needs of the district. They also exchanged views on residents' issues of concern.

     He then visited the former Lau Fau Shan Police Station and was briefed by the Commissioner for Heritage, Mr Jose Yam, on the architectural merits of the old police station as well as the plan for the restoration and revitalisation of this Grade 3 historic building.

     Under Batch V of the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme, the former Lau Fau Shan Police Station will be revitalised into Former Lau Fau Shan Police Station – Hong Kong Guide Dogs Academy by the Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association. Guide dogs will be bred and trained at the site to provide service to the visually impaired. Some dogs will be trained to provide therapy for people in need, such as children with autism or people who have communicative problems. The Academy will also organise exhibitions, workshops and guided tours to introduce the history and architectural merits of the police station building as well as the development of oyster farming and the fisheries industry in the Lau Fau Shan area.

     Mr Wong expressed the hope that through creative adaptive reuse proposals, historic buildings will be given a new lease of life. The public can get to appreciate and use these old buildings, thereby enhancing awareness of heritage conservation and revitalisation.

     The Development Bureau launched the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme in 2008. Through collaboration with non-profit-making organisations, historic buildings are preserved, revitalised and put into good use. So far, five batches of projects have been rolled out, involving a total of 19 projects.

    

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (October 25) said that a kind of prepackaged mushroom imported from Japan has been found to contain a preservative, sulphur dioxide, that was not declared on the product's food label, in breach of the food labelling regulations. Follow-up is in progress.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: Hana Donko (Oitakenshiitake Oitaken Dried Hana Donko Shiitake Mushroom)
Place of origin: Oita Prefecture, Japan
Net content: 100 grams
Best-before date: August 3, 2019

     "Subsequent to announcing earlier that a prepackaged mushroom sample taken from a supermarket in Central was detected with sulphur dioxide that was not declared on its food label, the CFS took a mushroom sample of the same kind but of a different batch from the same supermarket for testing during follow-up investigation. A similar irregularity was detected with the test result showing that the sample also contained sulphur dioxide which was not declared on its food label," a CFS spokesman said.

     "The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sale and remove from shelves all batches of the affected product. The CFS is also tracing the source of the affected product. Should there be sufficient evidence, prosecution will be instituted," the spokesman added.

     The spokesman pointed out that although the level of sulphur dioxide contained (41 parts per million) in the above-mentioned sample is within the legal limit, susceptible individuals who are allergic to sulphur dioxide may experience breathing difficulties, headache and nausea if they consume this kind of food.

     The spokesman urged the trade to observe the relevant laws and regulations. The Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap 132W) require that the food ingredients of all prepackaged food for sale in Hong Kong should be listed out in the list of ingredients. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.

     The CFS will notify the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.