A high-level meeting between Hong Kong Customs and the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) was held in Hong Kong yesterday (May 18). The Hong Kong Customs delegation was headed by the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat, while the Mainland Customs delegation was headed by the Minister of the GACC, Ms Sun Meijun.

     Mr Chan welcomed Ms Sun's visit to Hong Kong Customs with her delegation and chaired the meeting. During the meeting, Mainland Customs and Hong Kong Customs exchanged views on further deepening co-operation between the two customs administrations.

     After the meeting, witnessed by Ms Sun and the Acting Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk, Mr Chan and the Director General in Shenzhen Customs District, Mr Zheng Jugang, signed the memorandum regarding the point-to-point express co-operation and liaison between Shenzhen and Hong Kong Land Boundary Control Points. The signing of the memorandum further strengthens the information sharing and co-ordination mechanism at land boundary control points between the customs authorities on both sides, and enhances the efficiency of cross-boundary flow of people and cargo between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

     The GACC delegation yesterday also visited the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link to learn about Hong Kong Customs' passenger clearance operations.

     The GACC delegation this morning (May 19) also attended the 26th World Customs Organization (WCO) Asia/Pacific (A/P) Regional Heads of Customs Administrations Conference held by Hong Kong Customs, in the capacity of the WCO Vice-Chair for the A/P Region.

    

     Hong Kong Customs, in the capacity of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Vice-Chair for the Asia/Pacific (A/P) Region, is today (May 19) hosting the 26th WCO A/P Regional Heads of Customs Administrations Conference, which is running May 19 to 22.
      
     The Conference is the highest-level meeting held annually in the A/P region, which has gathered more than 120 heads of Customs organisations and senior officials from the region, along with delegates from the WCO's regional entities. The Secretary General of the WCO, Mr Ian Saunders, was also in attendance.
      
     The Conference started with a welcoming speech by the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat, in the capacity of the WCO Vice-Chairperson for the A/P Region. While highlighting that the Conference serves as an important platform for discussing regional policies and formulating the future of the customs community, Mr Chan encouraged participants to share ideas and experiences, propose customs initiatives and stay updated with the latest customs developments. He hoped that the commitment and dedication of the A/P family would foster regional co-operation in addressing evolving global challenges. Other speakers, including Mr Saunders, also shared valuable insights on the future development of the WCO.
      
     The Conference features discussions on various customs initiatives and actions pertinent to the A/P region, enabling participants to share ideas and make decisions to enhance connectivity and trade facilitation amongst regional members, thereby promoting the development of customs affairs in the region. In addition, the Conference was enriched by wonderful performances from the Hong Kong Baptist University Affiliated School Wong Kam Fai Secondary and Primary School Chinese Drum Team at the welcome reception, as well as the Good Hope School Chinese Orchestra prior to the start of the first day Conference, demonstrating the vibrant Chinese culture and showcasing the talent, positive energy and potential of Hong Kong's young generation.

            

     â€‹The Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Inspection, Quarantine and Hygiene Requirements for Meat Products Exported from Hong Kong to the Mainland and the Cooperation Arrangement for the Export of Dairy Products from Hong Kong to the Mainland (collectively referred to as co-operation agreements) in Hong Kong today (May 19), facilitating food trade between Hong Kong and the Mainland.
      
     The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said, "The co-operation agreements will further facilitate food trade between Hong Kong and the Mainland, as well as the development of meat and dairy products businesses in Hong Kong. Upon implementation of the arrangements, Hong Kong-manufactured meat and dairy products meeting the requirements set out in the co-operation agreements will be allowed to be imported into the Mainland."
      
     The co-operation agreements put in place the monitoring of food safety from the source for Hong Kong-manufactured meat and dairy products exported to the Mainland. The co-operation agreements will cover requirements for testing the sources of food raw materials and for the food manufacturers on production management, including storage and transportation of food products.
      
     Following the signing of the co-operation agreements, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will discuss with the GACC the operational details of the agreements. In addition, the CFS will organise seminars for the trade to help them better understand the requirements of the co-operation agreements.

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (May 21) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Second Reading debate on the Private Columbaria (Amendment) Bill 2024 will resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.
 
     The Second Reading debates on the Stablecoins Bill and the Merchant Shipping (Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships) Bill will also resume. If the Bills are supported by Members and receive their Second Reading, they will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bills and their reports are adopted by the Council, the Bills will be set down for the Third Reading.
 
     On Members' motions, Mr Michael Tien will move a motion on "Actively dovetailing with national and global trends and studying the reform of the curriculum framework for primary and secondary schools". The motion is set out in Appendix 1.
 
     Mr Yiu Pak-leung will move a motion on "Reinforcing Hong Kong's role as an international tourism hub and consolidating its position as a world-class premier tourism destination". The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Ms Chan Yuet-ming, Ms Elizabeth Quat and Ms Joephy Chan will move separate amendments to Mr Yiu Pak-leung's motion.
 
     During the meeting, the Chief Secretary for Administration will present "The Government Minute in response to the Report of the Public Accounts Committee No. 83 of February 2025" and address the Council.
 
     Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
 
     The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats.

     The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, and the Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Ms Maisie Chan, are on a duty visit to Egypt from May 17 to 20 to promote the development opportunities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
 
     During his stay in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, Mr Tsang met the Chinese Ambassador to Egypt, Mr Liao Liqiang, and exchanged views with representatives of the political and business sectors.
 
     Mr Tsang attended today (May 19) the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area – Africa (Egypt) Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Conference and delivered a speech to promote the development opportunities of the GBA to the political and business sectors.
 
     Mr Tsang said that with the full support from the Central Authorities, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and other GBA cities complement each other's strengths and work closely together to promote the GBA's high-quality development. Hong Kong possesses the institutional advantages of "one country, two systems", with a business environment that is highly market-oriented and internationalised, underpinned by the rule of law, a free flow of capital, a robust financial regulatory regime, a simple and low tax regime, and a global pool of professional talent. He encouraged enterprises to capitalise on Hong Kong's unique advantages of having the staunch support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world by establishing a foothold in the city and tapping into the huge market of the GBA.
 
     Mr Tsang added that Hong Kong, as a world-renowned metropolis and China's most internationalised city, should play its unique roles and functions as a "super connector" and "super value-adder", commence more international co-operation, contribute to the country's high-quality opening up and development, and further enhance its global influence in the changing international landscape.
 
     Mr Tsang will depart for Hong Kong this afternoon (Egypt time) and arrive on May 20.