The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office (GBA Office) of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau organised the "Hong Kong ‧ IN ‧ Brand Greater Bay" luncheon seminar in Guangzhou today (August 23), attracting over 170 representatives from Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises and chambers of commerce. The luncheon seminar focused on exploring business strategies to enhance the collective image and market influence of Hong Kong brands, as well as to inculcate Hong Kong brand culture into the consumers and the industries in the Greater Bay Area.
 
     A spokesperson for the GBA Office said that "Made in Hong Kong" products have long been exported worldwide and recognised as a hallmark of quality and confidence. "Hong Kong Brands" have maintained significant appeal to global buyers. Being geographically and culturally close to Hong Kong, consumers in the Greater Bay Area are particularly attracted to "Hong Kong Brands". The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area presents an important opportunity for Hong Kong enterprises to open up a wider market in the Mainland, and a historic opportunity for "Hong Kong Brands" to elevate their level of development.
 
     The spokesperson emphasised that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is committed to fully co-operating with other cities of the Greater Bay Area to actively promote high-quality development in the region, and to jointly strive for more policy innovation and breakthrough, with a view to fostering the efficient flow of essential factors of production, such as the flow of people, goods, capital and information, within the Greater Bay Area, as well as to create a more business-friendly environment. This will support Hong Kong enterprises in seizing the important opportunities presented by Greater Bay Area development, and enable all of us to contribute our efforts to make "Hong Kong Brands" shine.
 
     Today's seminar was co-organised by the GBA Office, the Hong Kong Brand Development Council (BDC), and the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong. The Deputy Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Mr Benjamin Mok, attended and delivered an opening speech. A number of scholars, experts, and industry representatives have been invited to share their successful experiences in market expansion and brand promotion in the Greater Bay Area, with a view to assisting Hong Kong enterprises in enhancing brand awareness, strengthening brand competitiveness, and in seizing the unlimited opportunities brought about by the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area.

    

     In his Policy Address last year, the Chief Executive proposed to advance the development of a digital government and collaborate with Guangdong Province to promote the Cross-boundary Public Services initiative. The Digital Policy Office (DPO) announced today (August 23) the setting up of a Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosk in Zhuhai. It will help residents and enterprises in Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) access public services of Hong Kong without the need to travel to Hong Kong in person.
 
     Starting today, the public can use the Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosk located in the Comprehensive Government Service Hall, 3/F, Building 1, Zhuhai Citizen Service Center, to access various public services of Hong Kong. The kiosk is available for use during the opening hours of the Center (i.e. 9am to noon and 2pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday except public holidays on the Mainland). For details, please visit the Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services thematic website at www.crossboundaryservices.gov.hk/en/home/index.html.
 
     Following the Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosks that commenced operation earlier in Guangzhou as well as in Qianhai and Futian in Shenzhen, the Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosk currently provides around 70 public services from 11 government bureaux and departments as well as related organisations, encompassing areas commonly used by enterprises and the public including taxation, company registration, property and vehicle enquiry and registration, personal identification documents and applications for entry of talent, welfare and education, healthcare, immigration clearance, urgent assistance as well as culture and tourism. Members of the public can use the self-service kiosk to perform data entry, document scanning and result printing to enjoy one-stop access when applying for various public services. 
 
     An "iAM Smart" self-registration kiosk is also set up at the location mentioned above to enable Hong Kong residents working and living on the Mainland to register for, or upgrade to, "iAM Smart+" directly to enjoy convenient online public services. For details and registration requirements, please visit the "iAM Smart" thematic website at www.iamsmart.gov.hk/en/reg.html.
 
     A spokesman for the DPO expressed sincere gratitude to the Guangdong Provincial Administration of Government Service and Data for its strong support and the Center for its full co-operation. The DPO will continue to discuss with the Guangdong Provincial Administration of Government Service and Data to set up self-service and self-registration kiosks in more Mainland cities of the GBA to cope with the demands of residents and enterprises in the GBA for public services of Hong Kong.
 
     To implement the State Council's Guiding Opinions to all provincial governments on Cross-provincial Public Services and their comprehensive deployment, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government accepted the invitation of the People's Government of Guangdong Province in 2021 to jointly launch the GBA Cross-boundary Public Services, and worked with Guangdong Province in November last year to introduce a dedicated service area/thematic website for Cross-boundary Public Services. The initiative enables enterprises and the public in both regions to enjoy simple and convenient cross-boundary services, with a view to facilitating the provision of public services and investment in the GBA, and enhancing the satisfaction and sense of contentment of enterprises and the public in accessing services across the boundary.

        

     Firing practice will take place at two military sites, namely the San Wai/Tai Ling Firing Range and the Tsing Shan Firing Range, next month (September).
 
     Red flags or red lamps will be hoisted at the firing areas before and during firing practice. For their safety, people are advised not to enter the firing area.
 
     Following are the dates and times for the firing practice sessions in September 2024:
 
San Wai/Tai Ling Firing Range
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Tsing Shan Firing Range
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     â€‹The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene has ordered a general restaurant in Yuen Long to suspend business for 14 days, as the licensee repeatedly breached the Food Business Regulation (FBR) by extending the business area illegally.

     The restaurant, located at Shop 7 on the ground floor of Lai Hung Garden on 1 Tan Kwai Tsuen Road, Hung Shui Kiu, was ordered to suspend business from today (August 23) to September 5.

     "Two convictions for the above-mentioned breach were recorded against the restaurant licensee in December of last year and May of this year. A total fine of $7,000 was levied by the court and 30 demerit points were registered against the licensee under the department's demerit points system. The contraventions resulted in the 14-day licence suspension," a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said.

     The licensee concerned had a record of two convictions for the same offence in August of last year. A total fine of $5,400 was levied and 30 demerit points were also registered, leading to a seven-day licence suspension last December.

     The spokesman reminded licensees of food premises to comply with the FBR and other relevant regulations, or their licences could be suspended or cancelled.

     Licensed food premises are required to exhibit their licence and a sign at a conspicuous place of the premises, indicating that the premises have been licensed. A list of licensed food premises is available on the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/licence-foodPremises-search.html).

     Thirty-two convictions were recorded in July 2024 for breaches of legislation enforced by the Environmental Protection Department.
 
     Three of the convictions were under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, nine were under the Noise Control Ordinance, six were under the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation, and 14 were under the Waste Disposal Ordinance.
 
     A company was fined $15,000, which was the heaviest fine in July, for failing to take measures to control air pollutant emission.