The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will visit Huizhou tomorrow (September 13).  Huizhou is one of the cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
      
     Mr Chan will meet with senior government officials of the Huizhou Municipal Government and visit innovation and technology enterprises in Huizhou. He will return to Hong Kong in the evening on the same day.
      
     During his absence, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, will act as Financial Secretary. 
     

     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, today (September 12) met with the Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr Kuatzhan Ualiyev, in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan.  

     The Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Co-operation with the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan in March this year to enhance cultural collaboration between the two places.

     Mr Lau said that closer cultural ties with Kazakhstan are expected to be maintained under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Last year, Kazakhstan and the Hong Kong Museum of History jointly presented the exhibition "Miles upon Miles: World Heritage along the Silk Road" in Hong Kong. In addition, representatives from Kazakhstan also participated in the 10th Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum. During this visit, young Hong Kong musicians will perform with renowned Kazakhstan arts groups in a joint concert to be held in Almaty.

     This morning, Mr Lau called on the Ambassador of China to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr Zhang Xiao, to keep abreast of China's developments in Kazakhstan. During his stay in Astana, Mr Lau visited cultural and sports facilities including a museum, opera house and velodrome. He also met with local cycling and ice hockey athletes and watched a training session.

     Mr Lau will depart for Kyrgyzstan to continue his visit tomorrow (September 13).

        

     As the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 is now in force, the flag-lowering ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 6pm today (September 12) will be cancelled.

     A man who went missing in Sau Mau Ping was located.

     Lo Chi-kong, aged 51, went missing after he left his residence in Shun On Estate on July 22 afternoon. His family made a report to Police on July 24.   
      
     The man was located at Shek O Beach on August 23. He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

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

     The delegation of the Legislative Council (LegCo) continued its visit to the Parliament of the United Kingdom (UK) in London yesterday (September 11, London time). 

     The delegation started the day by observing the proceedings of a Public Bill Committee meeting in the House of Commons and met with members of the All-Party Parliamentary China Group of the UK Parliament to exchange views on the latest political development in Hong Kong and issues of interest to the Sino-British relations.

     The delegation also met with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, Mr Tom Tugendhat, and the Committee member, Mr Mike Gapes, to exchange views on the implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the implications of the UK’s exit from the European Union (Brexit), as well as the trade relations between China and the United States (US).  The delegation was also arranged to observe the meeting of the Defence Committee in the House of Commons.

     The delegation then attended a lunch meeting hosted by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons and Chairman of Ways and Means, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, to gain a better understanding of the practice and procedure of the House of Commons. 
    
     In the afternoon, the delegation met with the Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords, Lord Boswell  of Aynho, as well as representatives of the House of Lords to learn more about the roles and operations of the House of Lords in the legislative process.

     The delegation finished the day by meeting with the International Trade Committee of the UK Parliament.  Delegation members exchanged views with the Committee Chairman, Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil, and its members on the challenges and opportunities arising from the Brexit and the trade relations between China and US.

     The delegation will continue its parliamentary visit in London today (September 12, London time).  Delegation members will visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the UK Government, the Royal College of Art and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London.