Tag Archives: China

     The Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, attended the Awards Presentation Ceremony of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2024 in Shanghai today (August 16) to show support for the Hong Kong teams and congratulate the winner of the Best Smart Mobility Award, Linksoul Holdings Company Limited, and the winner of the Best Smart Living Award, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, from the Hong Kong delegation, as well as other winning teams.
      
     Jointly steered by the Digital Policy Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Data, the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2024 is themed “Co-creating a Data Industry Platform for the Two Cities”. The competition aims to facilitate the exchange of data, technology and talent, as well as to fully unleash the multiplier effect of data elements and promote the synergistic development of smart city and digital economy between Hong Kong and Shanghai through training and competition. The Final Judging and the Awards Presentation Ceremony were held in Shanghai on August 15 and 16 respectively. The Hong Kong delegations, comprising eight finalist teams or individuals from various enterprises and universities in Hong Kong, excelled in the competition, with Linksoul Holdings Company Limited winning the Best Smart Mobility Award, and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University winning the Best Smart Living Award of the competition. Selected entries may be nominated to enter the inaugural national “Data Element x” competition jointly organised by the National Data Bureau and other authorities. 
      
     The teams representing Hong Kong in the Final Judging were as follows:

Category	Enterprise/University	Solution’s Name
Smart Environment	Stellerus Technology Limited / Hong Kong University of Science and Technology	Revolutionising Intelligent Flooding Hazard Management Platform Empowered by Physics-guided AI & Remote Sensing Satellites
Smart Environment	Back-kitchen Food Safety and Security	Back-kitchen Food Safety and Security
Smart Mobility	ETag Solution & Services Ltd.	ETag Solution & Services Ltd.
Smart Mobility	Linksoul Holdings Company Limited	Constructing a Digital Twin of Hong Kong’s Transportation System
Smart Economy	BaoKong Retirement Medical Financing	BaoKong Retirement Medical Financing
Smart Economy	The University of Hong Kong	Lens
Smart Living	The Hong Kong Polytechnic University	Smart Living Explorers (English translation)
Smart Living	Canpanion Group Limited	Canpanion

(Ranking in no particular order)
 
     Mr Wong congratulated all winners and said, “Over the years, Hong Kong and Shanghai have been expanding and deepening their co-operation in commerce and trade, finance, innovation and technology, as well as other areas, with significant results. I hope that all participants will achieve more breakthroughs and progress in the journey of data development, and jointly create a new chapter in the co-operation of digital economy between Hong Kong and Shanghai.”      

     During his visit to Shanghai on August 15 and 16, Mr Wong attended other Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2024-related events and was one of the judges for the Grand Award. He also paid a visit to the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Data as well as the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization. Both sides exchanged views on digital government, data governance and artificial intelligence development, with a view to further promoting synergy by exploring development opportunities for the digital technology industry between Hong Kong and Shanghai.

     Mr Wong concluded his two-day visit today and returned to Hong Kong in the evening. read more

     To promote the interface of the non-litigation dispute resolution services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the Department of Justice (DoJ) held the first GBA Mediator Training Course of Hong Kong today (August 16), which attracted about 400 participants. Mediation experts from Guangdong and Macao were invited to introduce the respective mediation systems and culture of Guangdong and Macao, as well as to share their experiences. They also explored with the participants the latest developments of cross-boundary disputes mediation in the GBA and the cultural difference and integration in mediation of the three places, and discussed topics including the means and skills in handling cross-boundary disputes.

     The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan; Deputy Director-General of the Department of Justice of Guangdong Province Mr Lin Chuming; and the Director of the Legal Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Ms Leong Weng-in, delivered opening remarks for the training course.

     Delivering his remarks, Mr Cheung said that the GBA has the unique legal environment of “one country, two systems and three jurisdictions” and plays a key strategic role in the overall development of the country. It is also the best entry point for Hong Kong, as the only common law jurisdiction within the country, to proactively align with the national development strategies.

     He said that mediation, as an efficient and flexible dispute resolution mechanism, plays an irreplaceable role in promoting the economic development and enhancing the rule of law in the GBA. The training course’s participants who are willing to dedicate to the profession of cross-boundary disputes mediation will make important contribution to the rule of law in the GBA.

     Mr Cheung said that the DoJ released the Action Plan on the Construction of Rule of Law in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in April this year and will continue to proactively promote the connectivity of hardware and software in the construction of rule of law in the GBA by means of the interfaces of mechanisms, regulatory frameworks and talent constituting the “Three Interfaces”. In turning the “differences” among the systems into “benefits”, the goal of “One GBA” will be achieved eventually through the collaboration of different legal systems in the area with respective strengths.

     Mr Cheung highlighted that good progress has been made in the interfaces of mechanisms, regulatory frameworks and talent in the GBA on mediation. The GBA Legal Departments Joint Conference endorsed the Proposal to set up the GBA Mediation Platform in 2020 as a co-operation platform for promoting mediation work. The three mediation standards applicable to the GBA, namely the GBA Mediator Accreditation Standards, the GBA Mediator Code of Conduct Best Practice and the GBA Cross-Boundary Disputes Mediation Model Rules, were released afterwards. Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao promulgated and implemented their respective local accreditation rules for accreditation of GBA mediators in March this year, and are striving to conduct their respective local accreditations this year, with a view to forming a consolidated panel of GBA Mediators upon confirmation by the Joint Conference, so as to further strengthen the confidence of the public to use mediation in the GBA.

     The first two sessions of the training course were conducted consecutively by the Secretary-General of the World Trade Center Macau Arbitration Center, Ms Rosita Vong, and the Executive Director and Director of the Zhuhai External Public Legal Service Center and Zhuhai-Hong Kong-Macao (External) Public Legal Service Center of Hengqin, Mr Wu Zhen, to introduce the mediation systems of Macao and Guangdong, aiming to enhance Hong Kong mediators’ understanding of the mediation systems of the two places. A question-and-answer session was held at the end of each session to enhance the participants’ understanding of the topics.

     A symposium hosted by the Chairman of the Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association, Mr Rimsky Yuen, SC, Ms Vong and Mr Wu was then held to discuss topics including cross-boundary disputes, the cultural difference in mediation of the three places, technology and online mediation, so as to explore in-depth the unique dynamics of handling cross-boundary disputes in the GBA.

     Since the number of registered participants far exceeded the maximum capacity of the event venue, an online platform for the event was added to accommodate more participants.

     Upon completion of this training course, the participants will meet one of the accreditation requirements under the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Mediator Accreditation Rules (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region). They can apply for the inaugural GBA Mediator Accreditation of Hong Kong to be commenced this year after fulfilling other accreditation requirements.

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     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (August 16) said that two new confirmed melioidosis infection cases had been recorded in the past week (August 9 to 15).      The f… read more

     Twelve landlords of subdivided units (SDUs), who contravened Part IVA of the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance (Cap. 7) (the Ordinance) by failing to submit a Notice of Tenancy (Form AR2) to the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation within 60 days after the term of the regulated tenancy commenced, pleaded guilty and were fined a total of $23,200 today (August 16) at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts. One of the landlords, who committed nine offences, was fined $7,200. Since the Ordinance came into force, the Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) has successfully prosecuted 358 cases involving a total of 310 SDU landlords, with fines ranging from $400 to $34,800, amounting to a total of $731,610.
 
     The RVD earlier discovered that the landlords failed to comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance. Upon an in-depth investigation and evidence collection, the RVD prosecuted against the landlords.
 
     A spokesman for the RVD reiterated that SDU landlords must comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance, and also reminded SDU tenants of their rights under the Ordinance. He also stressed that the RVD will continue to take resolute enforcement action against any contraventions of the Ordinance. Apart from following up on reported cases, the RVD has been adopting a multipronged approach to proactively identify, investigate and follow up on cases concerning landlords who are suspected of contravening the Ordinance. In particular, the RVD has been requiring landlords of regulated tenancies to provide information and reference documents of their tenancies for checking whether the landlords concerned have complied with the requirements of the Ordinance. If a landlord, without reasonable excuse, refuses to provide the relevant information or neglects the RVD’s request, the landlord commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine at level 3 ($10,000) and to imprisonment for three months. Depending on the actual circumstances, and having regard to the information and evidence collected, the RVD will take appropriate actions on individual cases, including instigating prosecution against suspected contraventions of the Ordinance.
 
     To help curb illegal acts as soon as possible, members of the public should report to the RVD promptly any suspected cases of contravening the relevant requirements. Reporting can be made through the telephone hotline (2150 8303), by email (enquiries@rvd.gov.hk), by fax (2116 4920), by post (15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon), or in person (visiting the Tenancy Services Section office of the RVD at Room 3816-22, 38/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, and please call 2150 8303 to make an appointment). Furthermore, the RVD has provided a form (Form AR4) (www.rvd.gov.hk/doc/en/forms/ar4.pdf) on its website to facilitate SDU tenants’ reporting to the RVD.
 
     The RVD reminds that pursuant to the Ordinance, a regulated cycle of regulated tenancies is to comprise two consecutive regulated tenancies (i.e. the first-term tenancy and second-term tenancy) for an SDU, and the term of each regulated tenancy is two years. A tenant of a first-term tenancy for an SDU is entitled to be granted a second-term tenancy of the regulated cycle, thus enjoying a total of four years of security of tenure. Since the first batch of regulated tenancies has already approached their second-term tenancies, the RVD has started a new round of publicity and education work in order to assist SDU landlords and tenants to understand the important matters pertaining to the second-term tenancy, and procedures that need to be followed about two months prior to the commencement of the purported second-term tenancy. In addition, the RVD has started issuing letters enclosing relevant information to the concerned landlords and tenants of regulated tenancies in batches, according to the expiry time of their first-term tenancies, to remind them about their respective obligations and rights under the Ordinance. These landlords and tenants may also visit the dedicated page for the second-term tenancy on the RVD’s website (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/tenancy_matters/second_term_tenancy.html) for the relevant information, including a concise guide, brochures, tutorial videos and frequently asked questions. SDU landlords and tenants are also advised to familiarise themselves with the relevant statutory requirements and maintain close communication regarding the second-term tenancy for handling the matters properly and in a timely manner according to the Ordinance.
 
     For enquiries related to regulated tenancies, please call the telephone hotline (2150 8303) or visit the RVD’s webpage (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/our_services/part_iva.html) for the relevant information.
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The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd. relating to a fraudulent website, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.

     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).

     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the website concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012. read more