The Transport Department (TD) today (August 29) alerted members of the public to a fraudulent SMS message purportedly issued by the HKeToll. The SMS message spoofed the name "HKeToll" and provided a hyperlink with the domain name (https://hketoll.cc[/]hk) that leads to a fake HKeToll website, which seeks to deceive recipients into making payments and obtain their credit card information.

     The TD clarifies that the SMS message was not issued by the HKeToll and has referred the case to the Police for follow-up. Members of the public are reminded that the HKeToll will not send SMS messages or emails to vehicle owners with hyperlinks that direct them to websites to carry out transactions. If a vehicle owner wishes to pay an outstanding toll online, they must log in to the HKeToll website (hketoll.gov.hk) or mobile app.

     Members of the public should stay alert when receiving unidentified messages. They should not visit suspicious websites and disclose any personal information. Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the website concerned should contact the Police. For enquiries about the HKeToll, please call 3853 7333.

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will depart for Harbin tomorrow (August 30) to attend the 2024 China Industrial Transfer and Development Matchmaking Activities (Heilongjiang).  He will also meet with leaders of Heilongjiang Province and Harbin City to discuss issues of mutual concern and strengthen exchanges and co-operation in various areas.
      
     Mr Chan will return to Hong Kong on September 2. During his absence, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, will be the Acting Chief Secretary for Administration in the afternoon of August 30, while the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, will be the Acting Chief Secretary for Administration from August 31 to September 2.

     The Department of Justice held a 2024 Policy Address consultation session entitled "International Legal and Dispute Resolution Services Centre" today (August 29) at Justice Place. At the session, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, and the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan, listened to the views and suggestions from the legal and dispute resolution sectors on the upcoming Policy Address.

     The meeting was attended by about 30 representatives and stakeholders of the sectors. In-depth discussions were held on continuously enhancing the competitiveness of Hong Kong as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre, and further leveraging the advantages of its common law system. They also expressed their professional views and put forward their suggestions.

     Mr Lam said, "I thank all the representatives of the sectors for attending the meeting despite their busy schedules and for having a frank exchange with us. They have proactively offered their insights on further promoting Hong Kong's status as an international legal and dispute resolution services hub, so that we can jointly contribute to the construction of foreign-related rule of law of the country, and the advancement of Chinese modernisation."

     The Government launched the public consultation for the Policy Address on July 16. The Government will continue to gather views from organisations and individuals in different sectors in the coming month or so through activities including consultation sessions and district visits. Members of the public can offer their views through the Policy Address website (www.policyaddress.gov.hk), via the dedicated Facebook page for the Policy Address public consultation (www.facebook.com/PolicyAddressConsultation), or by email (policyaddress@cepu.gov.hk), phone (2432 1899) or fax (2537 9083).

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, led a delegation to attend the 19th Joint Meeting of Senior Health Officials of the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao hosted by the National Health Commission (NHC) in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, today (August 29).

     The Joint Meeting has long been a platform for senior medical and health officials as well as experts from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao to exchange views, share experiences and enhance co-operation on present-day medical and public health issues. The Joint Meeting is hosted by the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao in rotation.

     The Minister of the NHC, Mr Lei Haichao, and the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government, Ms Ao Ieong U, led respectively senior health officials from the Mainland and the Macao SAR Government to participate in the Joint Meeting. Members of the three delegations engaged in sharing and discussions over three major topics, namely review of the COVID-19 epidemic and the way forward for prevention and control of infectious diseases, advancing innovation and development in healthcare technology, and strengthening primary healthcare services today.

     Professor Lo said, "The country has been providing unwavering support to the Hong Kong SAR Government's healthcare efforts, enabling us to forge ahead towards high-quality development against challenges. Following the success of hosting the Joint Meeting in Hong Kong last year, the Hong Kong SAR Government has been making progressive developments in various healthcare reform initiatives on all fronts, and these efforts are starting to bear fruit.

     "Since the announcement of developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub in the Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address, the Government has been actively taking forward a number of initiatives, including strengthening the capacity of drug evaluation of the Hong Kong SAR and progressing toward a primary evaluation approach, as well as the establishment of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) International Clinical Trial Institute in the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone within this year to develop clinical trials in collaboration with the Shenzhen Park under the 'one zone, two parks' model." 

     On cross-boundary medical collaboration, the Hong Kong SAR Government has been enhancing co-operation with Mainland cities and Macao under the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits and on the premise of benefitting the development of healthcare systems of Hong Kong, the Mainland and Macao. Taking the past three months as an example, cross-boundary medical collaboration has been making good progress, with concrete achievements being made every month. 

(1) Starting from June this year, the coverage of the Elderly Health Care Voucher has been extended to five medical and dental services institutions in Guangzhou, Zhongshan and Shenzhen under the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme, and will be further extended to two medical institutions in Dongguan and Nansha early next month.

(2) In July this year, the Hong Kong SAR Government piloted two new functions of the Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHealth) mobile application, namely "Cross-boundary Health Record" and "Personal Folder" at the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital. Under the overarching principles of ensuring due compliance of laws and regulations of both places and that data security and patients' privacy are fully safeguarded, the new functions enable citizens to carry their electronic health records for cross-boundary uses, with a view to receiving more accurate diagnosis and treatment. The two functions will be extended to the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University and Zhongshan Chen Xinghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine starting September 6.

(3) On August 23 this year, the Hong Kong SAR Government, in collaboration with the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government, conducted a drill simulating the transfer of patients under the cross-boundary ambulance arrangement. The direct point-to-point transfer of suitable patients between hospitals in Hong Kong and Shenzhen by ambulance can avoid the handover of patients between ambulances at boundary control points, thereby reducing medical risks. 

     In the afternoon, the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, moderated the discussion on the topic of advancing innovation and development in healthcare technology, with Deputy Secretary for Health Ms Elaine Mak giving a presentation. Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Dr Pang Fei-chau, gave a presentation on the topic of strengthening primary healthcare services.

     The Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan, and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko, also joined the Hong Kong SAR Government delegation.

     Professor Lo and his delegation visited the Zhuanqukou Community Health Center of Dunhuang City and the Disease Control and Prevention Center of Dunhuang City yesterday (August 28) to get a better grasp of the latest healthcare developments and primary healthcare work in Dunhuang. 

                        

     â€‹The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Tokyo) held a networking luncheon in Seoul, Korea, today (August 29) to promote Hong Kong's advantages as a talent hub and the vast opportunities ahead as the gateway to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

     Speaking at the luncheon, the Principal Hong Kong Economic and Trade Representative (Tokyo), Miss Winsome Au, pointed out that there is a vibrant and active Korean community in Hong Kong, and Korean students are the largest overseas students group enrolled in the University Grants Committee-funded programmes in Hong Kong.

     "It is our pleasure to help build this talent pool from Korea that also adds to the international vibe of our city," she said.

     She added that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is committed to investing in infrastructure and education, fostering innovation and creating a dynamic and highly international environment for ambitious individuals.  

     At the luncheon, the Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Ms Maisie Chan, introduced the boundless opportunities and benefits brought about by the development of the GBA for Korean talents and enterprises.  

     Ms Chan said, "The GBA presents abundant opportunities and exciting career prospects for talented individuals." She added that foreign nationals working in Hong Kong were able to enjoy convenient access to the fast-growing GBA market and also the opportunities on the Mainland. Some recent measures included the introduction of multiple-entry visa to the Mainland in 2023, which greatly facilitated the travel of foreign staff from Hong Kong-registered companies to the Mainland (including the nine cities of the GBA) for business purposes. Moreover, a new card-type travel document for non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents to visit the Mainland was launched in July 2024, which has greatly enhanced the convenience of clearance at the Mainland's control points and facilitated international talent in Hong Kong in travelling to the Mainland for business or leisure.

     The Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, introduced Hong Kong's attractions as a magnet for innovation and technology (I&T) talents at the luncheon. She emphasised that Hong Kong is building its own I&T ecosystem, actively attracting I&T talents from local and abroad, promoting technology with talents, leading industries with technology, and attracting talents with industries.

     She said, "The entrepreneurial and employment opportunities provided by a vibrant I&T ecosystem are the most effective way to attract I&T talents to come and stay in Hong Kong for development. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to work with various sectors of the community to enhance Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem. We welcome and encourage Korean talents in I&T, especially those in the relevant strategic technology industries, to come to Hong Kong to realise their potential." 

     Also speaking at the event, the Director of Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE), Mr Anthony Lau, highlighted Hong Kong's unique advantages and enormous opportunities as well as various talent admission schemes to attract talents with diverse backgrounds from around the world to pursue development in Hong Kong. 

     "Hong Kong Talent Engage aims to develop strategic engagement plans to trawl for talents worldwide, and provide comprehensive one-stop support services to assist talents in their long-term development in Hong Kong," Mr Lau said. He added that HKTE will continue to step up global promotion on Hong Kong's dual role as an international talent hub and the country's gateway for talents to attract more high-calibre talents from all over the world to Hong Kong.

     A representative from a Korean company was invited to share their experience in setting up business and the working environment in Hong Kong.
      
     The luncheon was attended by representatives from human resource agencies and top tertiary institutions, as well as professionals and students in Seoul.