Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting this morning (September 4):
 
Reporter: …that Mainland officers will be staying overnight in the terminus, and what about their meals? Some reports say that we're going to pay for their meals, I mean how is the Government going to ensure that? And secondly, regarding the set-up of the Mainland Port Area, why doesn't the Government decided to do it, like, not publicly?

Chief Executive: First of all, what has taken place at midnight at the West Kowloon terminus is a working level handover. The legislation on co-location took effect at midnight today on September 4, so there was a little working-level handover procedure in order to indicate this. That was not a ceremony per se, so I wasn't there on this particular occasion. The important opening ceremony will take place on September 22 and will be formally officiated by myself and Governor Ma Xingrui of Guangdong Province. This brings me back to the point I was just making, that apparently and unfortunately, anything relating to the high-speed train normally is presented with some worries and anxieties. I don't want this to continue to repeat itself between now and the opening of the high-speed train on September 23, so I have asked the Transport and Housing Bureau together with the MTR Corporation to provide responses as promptly as possible to any queries or worries or anxieties either conveyed by media friends or we pick up somewhere, so as to allay all these unnecessary fears and anxieties.

     The same applies to the provision of meals to officers working in the Mainland Port Area. As I said, these Mainland officials will not leave the Mainland Port Area. They come in on a daily basis from Shenzhen to work in the Mainland Port Area and they are not allowed to go out to have their lunch or dinner, so we need to find arrangements to provide meals to them. The cost of all these meals as well as the cost of all the other expenses, like cleansing, collecting rubbish, electricity and water, are all picked up by the Mainland authorities, but we need to help them to arrange these things. It's as simple as that.
      
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) 

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Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (September 4) that the Environmental Protection Department has classified the water quality at Clear Water Bay First Beach in Sai Kung District as Grade 4, which means the beach is not suitable for swimming. The red flag has been hoisted. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach until further notice.

     The Inland Revenue Department announced today (September 4) that all eTAX services will be suspended from 4pm on September 8 to 9pm on September 9 for a system upgrade. The department apologises for any inconvenience caused.

     For enquiries, please call 187 8088 during office hours.

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, arrived in Tel Aviv on September 3 (Israel time) to start his first official visit to Israel to forge closer economic and innovation and technology (I&T) co-operation between Israel and Hong Kong.

     Joined by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, and the Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Stephen Phillips, Mr Chan first called on the Chairman of the Israel Innovation Authority and Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, Dr Ami Appelbaum, to keep himself abreast of the latest developments of I&T of Israel. Noting that Israel is a leading global hub for cutting-edge and innovative technologies, Mr Chan remarked that Hong Kong can draw valuable lessons from Israel’s successful experience on various fronts, such as Fintech, biotech and biomedicine.

     Mr Chan and members of the Hong Kong business mission then attended a briefing by Dr Appelbaum on the business environment and opportunities in Israel. Several Israeli I&T companies supported by Hong Kong investment funds also shared their experience.

     Addressing at a luncheon co-organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Mr Chan said "Hong Kong is actively embracing I&T as the new impetus for economic growth. I see much potential for Israeli tech entrepreneurs and talent to partner with Hong Kong in developing high-tech solutions. We also welcome Israeli innovative companies to make use of our world-class financial platform to raise fund."
      
     "We are developing Hong Kong into the preferred listing platform for emerging and innovative enterprises.  The Hong Kong Stock Exchange introduced in April this year a new listing regime which allows pre-revenue biotech companies and companies with weighted voting right structures to list on the Main Board." He added.

     In the afternoon, Mr Chan first met with Mr Benjamin Soffer, Head of Technion Technology Transfer office of AMIT. The office mainly supports and promotes the commercialisation of biomedical innovation of Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Mr Chan pointed out that $10 billion has been earmarked in this year’s government budget to support the establishment of the two research clusters on healthcare technologies and on artificial intelligence and robotics technologies. He welcomed AMIT and other top scientific research institutions from around the world to set up operations in Hong Kong.

     After meeting representatives of a few Israeli I&T companies, Mr Chan visited the innovation centre of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and the Floor, a Fintech platform, to gain first-hand information on the latest developments in Fintech and cybersecurity in Israel. He was pleased to note that the centre has already expanded their business in Hong Kong..

     Today (September 4, Israel time), Mr Chan will continue his visit in Israel.

            

     The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (Co-location) Ordinance (Ordinance) came into operation today (September 4) to dovetail with the commissioning of the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) later this month.

     The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, and the Deputy Secretary General of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, Mr Lin Ji, jointly hosted a ceremony to mark the commissioning of the Mainland Port Area at the West Kowloon Station to commemorate the moment, signifying that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Mainland will co-operate with each other to jointly implement the co-location arrangement with a view to maximising convenience for future high-speed rail passengers.

     Starting from today, personnel from the Mainland Authorities Stationed at the Mainland Port Area will work in the West Kowloon Station Mainland Port Area to make final preparations for the implementation of the co-location arrangement. For the purposes of the application of laws and the delineation of jurisdiction in the Mainland Port Area, the Mainland exercises jurisdiction over the non-reserved matters defined in the Ordinance in accordance with the "Co-operation Arrangement between the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the Establishment of the Port at the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link for Implementing Co-location Arrangement" and the relevant laws of the Mainland.

     The Hong Kong Section of the XRL will commence operation on September 23, 2018. It will connect Hong Kong to the ever-expanding national high-speed rail network, enabling passengers to travel among Hong Kong and various Mainland cities in a breeze and offer a speedy, convenient and comfortable transport alternative.