Tag Archives: China

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, at the opening ceremony of the Government Career Fair at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) today (September 11): 

Professor Lee (Provost and Deputy President of CityU, Professor Lee Chun-sing), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good morning. It gives me great pleasure to be here today for the Opening Ceremony of the Government Career Fair at the City University of Hong Kong, and to see so many young faces around.

     Young people are Hong Kong’s future and the civil service is the backbone of the Government. To maintain an energetic team with promising candidates to succeed their predecessors at different levels, the Government has been making relentless efforts to attract aspiring young people to join the civil service in recent years. The Government Career Fair is one of our flagship initiatives aiming at providing an interactive platform for students to explore potential career pathways in the Government and learn more about job opportunities available within the civil service. We started the Career Fair last year at three local universities, attracting over 1 000 students to our booths and counters. This year, we are expanding the Career Fair to cover 10 local universities and more civil service grades, and the largest-ever job bazaar is hosted here in CityU today. I hope this is a befitting tribute to the University, which is celebrating, this year, its 30th anniversary, meaning that it has had 30 years of success in nurturing young talents and enhancing their employability.

     As we gather here today, I can sense so strongly the vibrancy of youth, a vibrancy that is vital to the progress of our society. Your energy, passion and fresh perspectives are indispensable assets that can drive advancement and innovation within the Government and in the public service. It is with this in mind that I encourage each and every one of you to consider pursuing a career in the civil service. As the largest employer in Hong Kong with around 380 grades, that is 380 different job types, the Government offers around 10,000 job openings across various departments every year. Amongst the wide range of job opportunities we offer, there is for sure a place for you regardless of where your passion lies. Whether it is policymaking, public administration, law enforcement, healthcare, engineering, information technology or even broadcasting, law drafting or any other field of interest, we have a place for you.

     Many job seekers may find civil service jobs attractive because of the remuneration package. It is certainly true that a civil service career will enable one to afford a decent living standard, but those who have joined the Government would also agree that the greatest reward actually comes from serving the community, driving changes and making a positive impact in society.  Imagine being at the forefront to provide quality and diversified education opportunities to children of different talents, or to revitalise tourism to attract people from all over the world to experience Hong Kong, or to improve the opportunities and benefit of a hitherto overlooked underprivileged group. This is very exciting. Having been a civil servant for over 36 years, I can assure you that it is incredibly fulfilling to know that your daily work can lead to tangible and intangible improvements in individuals’ lives and in the well-being of the community.

     Apart from the immeasurable sense of fulfilment, joining the civil service also provides you with a promising career path in a caring environment with ample opportunities for personal and professional growth. The Government invests heavily in structured and diversified training programmes for professional development opportunities for civil servants’ career progression. For instance, with the support of the Central People’s Government and the assistance of the Commissioner’s Office of the Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), the Government has fielded young officers to take part in the United Nations Junior Professional Officers Programme since 2019. Our young officers selected into the Programme have the chance to work in United Nations offices in exciting places such as New York, Geneva and Vienna as Chinese Personnel. Besides, the Government also regularly arranges professional and management training in the Mainland and overseas, as well as secondment opportunities to the public and private sectors, with a view to widening the exposure of civil servants while preparing them for career advancement.

     We understand that many aspiring undergraduates are already looking beyond the campus into the professional world well before they reach their final year of study. To enable young people to better plan their future career advancement, for certain civil service positions, such as Administrative Officers and Executive Officers, we have since last year expanded the pool of eligible candidates to undergraduates and postgraduates in their penultimate year of study. Government departments have also stepped up recruitment drives and some of them are conducting year-round recruitment for specific grades. I am pleased to tell you that these initiatives have received very warm responses. The number of university students applying for the Common Recruitment Examination and the Basic Law and National Security Law Test, which are the doorstep to individual civil service job’s recruitment process, surged from around 2 500 in June 2023 to around 4 600 in June 2024, representing an increase of more than 80 per cent. Among them, 35 per cent are students in their penultimate year of study. There is also a notable increase in the number of applications for civil service jobs overall.

     In the Career Fair today, 30 government bureaux and departments have sent representatives from over 50 civil service grades to share their work experience with students. For those who aspire to join us in serving the public, you are invited to make the best use of today’s opportunity to visit our exhibition booths and enrol in the recruitment talks to learn more about the roles that civil servants play in shaping our society. This is not just about seeking a job, it’s about discovering a vocation that resonates with your passion and aspirations.

     Before I close, please allow me to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Professor Lee and CityU members for hosting this meaningful event. Thank you, and congratulations on your 30 years of success in the pursuit of academic excellence and in the provision of quality education.

     Finally, may I borrow the words of a famous man, Steve Jobs, on this occasion: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” For students and young fellows joining us today, I hope all of you will have an enriching experience here and find the path you love very soon to embark on a career journey filled with successes and fulfilments. Thank you. read more

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, today (September 11) officiated at the opening ceremony of the Government Career Fair at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) with the Provost and Deputy President of the university, Professor Lee Chun-sing, to launch a series of Government Career Fairs to be held at local universities. She toured the exhibition booths of various government departments and encouraged university students to join the Government and build Hong Kong’s future.
 
     Mrs Yeung said, as the largest employer in Hong Kong, the Government provides young people with different types and natures of career development opportunities. Last year, the Government held large-scale career fairs at three universities and received an enthusiastic response from students, with many of them visiting exhibition booths of different departments to obtain information and enquire about details. This year, the Government is stepping up its efforts by organising Government Career Fairs at 10 local universities from mid-September to early October. Highlighting that the work of the civil service was meaningful and challenging, she encouraged students interested in pursuing a career in the civil service to first understand their aspirations and interests, and plan early to equip themselves for the application process.
 
     To deepen students’ understanding of the work of different grades in the Government, 30 bureaux and departments of the government took part in the Government Career Fair at CityU today. Staff from the respective government departments answered students’ questions on the spot while some departments gave careers talks. Many students visited the fair at lunchtime or during their break to find out more. 

     Today’s career fair covered over 50 civil service grades, including Administrative Officer (AO), Executive Officer II (EOII), Assistant Labour Officer II, Government Counsel, Legal Aid Counsel, Engineering Graduate, Assistant Environmental Protection Officer, Government Chemist, Official Languages Officer II, Transport Officer II (TOII), Town Planner, Survey Officer, Accounting Officer II, Valuation Officer, Analyst/Programmer II, Assistant Programme Officer, Assistant Curator II, Liaison Officer II, and education-related posts, as well as various positions in the disciplined services.

     Mrs Yeung added that the annual joint recruitment exercise for several graduate grades will be launched this Saturday (September 14) to recruit young talent and inject new blood into the civil service. University students who are aspiring to serve the community and contribute to Hong Kong, and are ready to take on challenges are welcome to apply, unleash their potential, and pursue their dreams. To further enhance e-government services, applicants should submit their applications through the online application system on the Civil Service Bureau webpage.

     The joint recruitment exercise covers four civil service grades this year, namely AO, EOII, Assistant Trade Officer II and TOII. Undergraduate students who will graduate in 2025 or 2026 can also apply for the positions in advance this year. The deadline for applications is October 4. Candidates interested in the joint recruitment exercise must attain the requisite results in the relevant paper(s) in the Common Recruitment Examination and the Basic Law and National Security Law Test. For details, please refer to the Civil Service Bureau press release.

                    

     In response to the sudden announcement of the temporary business suspension by a chain fitness and beauty group on September 6, Hong Kong Customs and the Police have set up an interdepartmental dedicated investigation team to conduct an intensive investigation into offences under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) regarding unfair trade practices and whether other criminal offences are involved respectively.
      
     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (September 10) and today (September 11) arrested two directors of the chain fitness and beauty group suspected of wrongly accepting payments when selling fitness and beauty services, in contravention of the TDO.

     Upon receiving information alleging that the chain fitness and beauty group failed to provide prepaid fitness and beauty services purchased by customers, Customs immediately established a dedicated team concerning the case and launched investigations. Customs found that the chain group still accepted payments for prepaid services from customers even before the announcement of its business suspension. Customers who had purchased prepaid fitness and beauty services were unable to use the services concerned and did not receive any refunds.

     After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers conducted enforcement operations for the two consecutive days and arrested a male and a female director of the fitness and beauty group, aged 67 and 68 respectively.

     An investigation is ongoing.

     Customs has been paying close attention to the case and called on members of the public affected to provide information. As of noon today, Customs had received a total of 900 reports regarding the fitness and beauty group, involving fitness and beauty service contracts amounting to about $39 million.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. Consumers are also reminded to procure services at reputable shops and think prudently before making consumption decisions with prepayments. After purchasing services, they should keep the relevant records, such as transaction receipts and contracts, which can become basic information in case a complaint is lodged in the future.

     Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence if at the time of acceptance of payment, the trader intends not to supply the product or intends to supply a materially different product, or there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product within a specified or reasonable period. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
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     Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002). read more

     Following are the opening remarks by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, at the Policy Dialogue session on Multilateral Co-operation for an Interconnected World of the Ninth Belt and Road Summit today (September 11):
 
Dear ministers, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Welcome to the Ninth Belt and Road Summit. At today’s Policy Dialogue session, we have the honour to have His Excellency the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia, Mr Piseth (Mr Lim Lork Piseth); His Excellency Deputy Co-ordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment in Infrastructure and Transportation of Indonesia, Mr Kaimuddin (Mr Rachmat Kaimuddin); and His Excellency Vice-Minister of National Economy of The Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr Kassenov (Mr Arman Kassenov). We are privileged to have policy makers from various countries on stage to share with us their insights on the opportunities available through multilateral co‑operation across regions.
 
     We are honoured to have about 6 000 participants here at this Summit, all gathered here to explore Belt and Road opportunities and to promote friendship. This is only made possible because we embrace multilateral co‑operation and the shaping of an interconnected world. And this aligns with the vision of the Belt and Road Initiative, that is, to help build a global community of a shared future and shared value. All of you participating here are part of this community.
 
Solid achievements through multilateral co-operation
 
     Over the past 10 years, many solid achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative have proven that transnational efforts can accelerate high-quality development through three key types of connectivity: “hard connectivity” in infrastructure, “soft connectivity” in trade and financial integration, and for people-to-people bond, the “connectivity of hearts”.
 
     On “hard connectivity”, the development of multi-tiered and multi-dimensional infrastructure network over land, sea and air has been significantly boosting trade and people exchanges. For example, the China-Europe freight train service network currently reaches over 220 cities in Europe and connects over more than 100 cities in Asia. The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail has cut short the journey between the two places from more than three hours to around 40 minutes, I was there last time and testing the train, and served over 4 million passengers in its first nine months of operation.
 
     On “soft connectivity”, the Initiative is opening up more business opportunities by reducing trade barriers and promoting financial integration. Multiple trade and investment platforms, such as this Summit, are out there to encourage multilateral co‑operation. International financial institutions and funds such as the New Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund are also prioritising to invest sustainably in Belt and Road projects that bring shared economic and social benefits. The World Bank estimates that by 2030, the Belt and Road Initiative will be generating US$1.6 trillion in annual global revenues.
 
     On people-to-people bond, or the “connectivity of hearts”, the Initiative has brought about closer cultural exchanges in the global community. Apart from that, inter-region academic exchanges have nurtured more future talent along the Belt and Road to drive high-quality development for the whole world. Actually, many young people from the Belt and Road countries are now studying in Hong Kong as well. In our policy, after they graduate from the universities here, they can stay behind for two years to look for career development. After their experience in Hong Kong, they can really bring it back to their countries. The bonding between these young people is very important for our future. We very much encourage the Belt and Road countries to participate in student exchanges between Hong Kong and their countries as well. The Luban Workshops helped around 30 countries train up tens of thousands of technical personnel in areas such as industrial robots, new energy, artificial intelligence, civil engineering and medical knowledge. We can see this kind of people-to-people bond is very important not just for the hearts but also for the economic development in our countries, places and economies for the long-term development. It should be our vision.
 
     All these examples told us one thing – international co-operation is the key to advancements in economic and social development. Through the Belt and Road Initiative, we are all interconnected to create a shared future for our common prosperity.
 
Hong Kong’s role as a premier Belt and Road functional platform
 
     Hong Kong is a premier Belt and Road functional platform and a “super value-adder”, and actually, it’s a gateway for connecting Mainland China (with the world) through the door in Hong Kong. As an international city and one of the freest economies in the world, we are facilitating multilateral co-operation through our top-tier professional services in different areas and on various fronts.
 
     As a two-way gateway and a multinational supply chain management centre, Hong Kong is also adding value through comprehensive support services such as consulting, trade financing, insurance, legal services, certification and corporate training. As an international aviation hub, our airport handled 4.3 million tonnes of cargo last year, and has been ranked first in international air cargo throughput for almost all of the past 13 years. Actually, Hong Kong as an aviation hub, within five hours of flying time, it covers half of the world’s population. In terms of maritime, Hong Kong’s ports have over 300 international container vessel sailings to nearly 500 destinations worldwide per week.
 
     As an international trade centre, we are a staunch supporter of free trade and an active player in international trade co-operation. Under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong is an individual member in both the World Trade Organization and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). To date, we have signed eight free trade agreements with 20 economies and 24 investment promotion and protection agreements with 33 economies. We are planning to enter into a free trade agreement with Peru later this year. Peru is the host country of APEC for 2024. I visited there already, and I will go again in November seeing other ministers and attend the meeting. We will continue to actively seek accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership as also mentioned by the Chief Executive in his keynote speech.
 
     As an international financial centre, Hong Kong is contributing as a green finance hub. In the past three years, the average annual green and sustainable bonds issued in Hong Kong reached over US$60 billion, with the relevant bonds accounting for around one-third of the Asian market. Belt and Road countries are welcome to explore with us as an international financial centre on how to channel capital to support green transition. Additionally, we are developing our carbon marketplace Core Climate, which offers Renminbi and Hong Kong dollar settlements for trading of international voluntary carbon credits.
 
     As an international innovation and technology centre, Hong Kong stands ready to add new value for our Belt and Road partners on innovation. We house five of the world’s top 100 universities. Under our flagship research and development initiative, InnoHK, a total of 29 research laboratories have been set up by 30 world-renowned universities and research institutes. The development of the Northern Metropolis is also very important for our future innovation and technology development. Hong Kong is also supported by our intellectual property regime, and we are providing incentives, such as a low tax rate of only 5 per cent on eligible out-licencing income, to facilitate commercialisation of intellectual property taking place along the Belt and Road.
 
     Ladies and gentlemen, we are making progress towards our goal of building an interconnected, innovative and green Belt and Road, and there are many opportunities ahead for multilateral co-operation to shape an interconnected world for shared benefits in the next golden decade of the Belt and Road. Without further ado, may I turn to our honourable guests on stage, and invite them to share their insights on this very important topic. Thank you. read more

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) today (September 11) appealed to the public to keep places clean and tidy and to not burn wax or fly sky lanterns when celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.
   
     “To provide a better environment for members of the public to enjoy the festive occasion, we appeal to them not to burn or melt wax. They should not sprinkle or pour liquids onto hot wax. Metal cans or non-flammable containers should be used to collect melted wax for easy disposal into litter bins after the containers cool down,” a spokesman for the LCSD said.
 
     “Moreover, members of the public should not throw glow sticks or other objects onto trees, as doing so may cause damage to the trees and affect the cleanliness of venues. Furthermore, they should not fly sky lanterns as doing so might cause injuries or damage to property and facilities.”
   
     The spokesman said that to ensure that the public can celebrate the festival in a clean and safe environment, patrols will be stepped up at the department’s venues including parks, public beaches and barbecue sites on September 17. Staff will be deployed to take enforcement action against littering, wax burning, throwing objects onto trees and flying sky lanterns at night.
 
     Members of the public may call the LCSD’s hotline on 2414 5555 to report any irregularities found at LCSD venues.
   
     According to the Pleasure Grounds Regulation, no person shall, in any pleasure ground, melt or burn any wax; sprinkle or pour any liquid onto any hot wax; damage any part of any tree, shrub or plant; or fly kites, model aircraft, balloons or other devices (including sky lanterns). According to the Bathing Beaches Regulation, no person shall, on any bathing beach, do any act that is likely to endanger or obstruct any other person using the beach, or damage, deface or pollute the beach or anything situated thereon. Any person who is convicted is liable to a maximum fine of $2,000 and 14 days’ imprisonment.
   
     Littering offenders will be issued with a fixed penalty notice with a fine of $3,000, while those who burn wax, throw objects onto trees or fly sky lanterns may be prosecuted. read more