Tag Archives: China

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will depart for Nanjing this evening (August 27) to attend “SmartHK” to be held in Nanjing tomorrow (August 28).
      
     During his visit, Mr Chan will call on the leadership of Jiangsu Province and Nanjing City, and meet with local industrial and commercial sectors as well as Hong Kong business people in Jiangsu.
      
     “SmartHK” this year is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in partnership with the Department of Commerce of Jiangsu Province and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government. The event focuses on co-operation in innovation to achieve high-quality development. It comprises forums, seminars, project exhibitions, start-up roadshows, and business matching activities to showcase Hong Kong’s business advantages and opportunities to the Jiangsu community. It aims to promote co-operation and development in financial services, innovation and technology, green initiatives, creative industries, and other professional services, while helping Hong Kong businesses expand into the Jiangsu and Yangtze River Delta markets.
      
     After completing his activities in Nanjing, Mr Chan will return to Hong Kong tomorrow night. During his absence, the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, will be the Acting Financial Secretary. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:
 
     The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, yesterday (August 26) began a three-day visit to Beijing. This is the first time Mr Chan leads a delegation to the Mainland after his assumption of office in April this year.
      
     Upon their arrival in Beijing, the delegation first called on the National Commission of Supervision (NCS) and met the Deputy Secretary of Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Vice Chairman of NCS, Mr Fu Kui, and other senior officials. During the meeting, Mr Fu acknowledged the Office of The Ombudsman’s work and mission in committing to promoting efficient and quality public administration in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region over the years.
      
     Mr Chan briefed Mr Fu the Office’s latest initiatives and strategic plan to press ahead at full steam with mediation and interdepartmental collaboration, thereby promoting harmony in society, optimising administrative arrangements and improving people’s livelihood. He thanked the NCS for the support and guidance to the Office and looked forward to more exchanges and collaboration with the NCS and other Mainland authorities in the future.

read more

     A total of 80 cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection were reported to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) in the second quarter of 2024, taking the cumulative total of HIV infections reported locally to 12 223 since 1984.
 
     Of the 80 additional cases involving 60 males and 20 females, 42 (52.5 per cent) acquired the infection via homosexual or bisexual contact, 26 (32.5 per cent) via heterosexual contact. The routes of transmission of the remaining 12 cases have yet to be determined due to incomplete information.
 
     The new cases were mainly reported by three sources: public hospitals, clinics and laboratories (34 cases); AIDS service organisations (13 cases), and private hospitals, clinics and laboratories (12 cases). Also, 65 of the 80 newly reported cases have already received HIV specialist services at the DH or the Hospital Authority.
 
     Regarding cases of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), 16 new cases were reported in this quarter, of which 12 cases (75.0 per cent) were attributed to homosexual or bisexual contact, and four cases (25.0 per cent) were related to heterosexual contact. Fifteen (93.8 per cent) of these new AIDS cases were diagnosed with HIV infection at the time of progression to AIDS, and the most common AIDS-defining illness remained to be Pneumocystis pneumonia. Since 1985, a cumulative total of 2 523 confirmed AIDS cases has been reported in Hong Kong.
 
     Reviewing the latest HIV/AIDS situation in Hong Kong, a spokesman for the CHP said, “Sexual transmission remained the major mode of HIV transmission. The only way to know one’s HIV status is to undergo HIV antibody testing. HIV is the cause of AIDS. In the past 10 years, over 80 per cent of AIDS patients progressed to AIDS within three months of HIV diagnosis. This indicates that the majority of people with AIDS have not undergone HIV antibody testing early.
 
     “Members of the public should use condoms consistently and properly to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV. Those with a history of unsafe sex should take an HIV antibody test early. Key populations with a higher risk of infection should undergo regular HIV screening, while people who had sex but do not belong to these key populations should consider getting tested at least once. People with HIV should seek specialist care and HIV treatment as soon as possible.”
      
     The spokesman added that there are available community resources which enable members of the public to undergo HIV antibody testing. Members of the public can reserve a free, anonymous and confidential HIV antibody test via the DH’s HIV Testing Service website (www.hivtest.gov.hk) or AIDS Hotline (2780 2211). They can also order HIV self-test kits (oral fluid-based and blood-based (fingerprick) testing kits) on the HIV Testing Service website, and collect the self-test kits at various pick-up locations in Hong Kong. In addition, the DH launched The Commons this year, a one-stop sexual health service for sexual minorities, which provides regular follow-up services to referred cases with a higher risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections. Sexual minorities who had high-risk behaviours may seek initial assessment from designated organisations. For services of The Commons and information of the designated organisations, please visit www.aids.gov.hk/english/itc/consultation.html.
           
     The spokesman stressed that receiving early HIV treatment with antiretroviral drugs can effectively prevent the progression to AIDS and other complications in people with HIV. Lifelong antiretroviral treatment is indicated for all people with HIV, and the treatment remarkably improves their health and possibility of survival. Moreover, those who achieve sustained viral suppression to an undetectable level with treatment will not transmit the virus through sex, i.e. Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U).
           
     The public may visit the following pages for more information on HIV/AIDS: the Virtual AIDS Office (www.aids.gov.hk), the Red Ribbon Centre (www.rrc.gov.hk), the HIV Testing Service website (www.hivtest.gov.hk) and the Gay Men HIV Information website (www.21171069.gov.hk). read more

     Hong Kong Customs today (August 27) alerted members of the public to three unsafe models of babywear. Test results indicated that the cords of the three models of babywear could pose strangulation and injury hazards to babies. Parents are advised not to dress their babies with the three models of clothes to avoid incidents.

     Customs earlier received referral from a related organisation that three models of suspected unsafe babywear were being supplied on the market. Customs officers immediately conducted spot checks in various districts and test-purchased the three products for safety tests by a laboratory.

     The test results revealed that the cords near the upper chest of the three models of babywear could strangle babies and pose suffocation risks. In addition, the cord ends of one of the models were too loose, which may tightly entangle babies’ fingers and restrict blood circulation. Meanwhile, the cords of another model were too long, which could entangle with other objects and cause injury to babies. It was also found that samples of that model contained formaldehyde levels that exceeded the limit of the relevant safety standard, suspected of failing to comply with the general safety requirement of the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance (CGSO).

     Customs officers subsequently conducted operations and seized a total of about 1 600 pieces of two of the related products from three retailers in Tsim Sha Tsui, Quarry Bay and Tsuen Wan, and two wholesalers and importers in Tsuen Wan.

     Prohibition notices were served on the retailers, and the wholesalers and importers concerned, prohibiting the continued sale of the three models of babywear.

     Furthermore, Customs officers have conducted inspections in various districts and have not found any sale of the three products concerned so far.

     The investigation is ongoing.

     Customs reminds members of the public to observe the following safety tips when purchasing babywear:

• Pay attention to the style and design as well as the structure of the babywear to see if there is any potential hazard;
• Beware of whether the cords are too loose when purchasing babywear with upper chest cords;
• Beware of whether the drawstrings of the babywear are too long; and
• Choose a suitable size and avoid purchasing babywear that is too tight or too loose.

     Customs also reminds traders to comply with the statutory requirements of the CGSO to protect the safety of consumers. Under the CGSO, it is an offence to supply, manufacture or import into Hong Kong consumer goods unless the goods comply with the general safety requirement for consumer goods. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year on first conviction, and $500,000 and imprisonment for two years on subsequent conviction.

     Members of the public with information relating to unsafe consumer goods may make a report via Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or by filling in an online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/). read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited (HKMC) has recently received public inquiries about someone calling citizens and claiming to offer personal loans under the 100% Personal Loan Guarantee Scheme (PLGS) or small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) loans under the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme (SFGS). The HKMC has also become aware that fraudsters are operating a fraudulent website at https://noble_win_capital----escape_sem_autolink_uri:d0b10a15db40a36d59fddb83ef024cf2----com which largely replicates the official website of the HKMC.
      
     The HKMC advises that the callers have no affiliation with the HKMC and any of its subsidiaries (collectively, HKMC Group). The loans under the SFGS should be applied through banks by the SMEs that are in need. As for the PLGS, the application period ended at the end of April last year. The HKMC Group does not engage in cold calling to offer personal loans, SME loans or any loan application service to members of the public. The genuine official web address of the HKMC is www.hkmc.com.hk. 
      
     The HKMC Group urges the public to beware of suspicious calls, websites or other communications, and to remain vigilant in protecting personal information. If you receive a suspicious communication purportedly from a member of the HKMC Group, please call the HKMC’s general line at 2536 0000 or HKMC Annuity Limited’s Customer Service Hotline at 2512 5000 to verify. If you suspect that you are the victim of fraudulent acts, you should report promptly to the Police. read more