The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (May 12) led a business delegation comprising representatives from Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises to continue its visit programme to Qatar. He met with local government and business leaders to promote Hong Kong’s advantages and opportunities, and witnessed the achievement of multiple outcomes between government departments, enterprises and organisations of Hong Kong, the Mainland and Qatar, including the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs). He also inspected an autonomous vehicle system in Qatar.
      
     In the morning, Mr Lee met with the Minister of Labour of Qatar, Dr Ali bin Saeed bin Samikh Al Marri, to discuss plans on enhancing talent exchanges between Hong Kong and Qatar, with a view to promoting cultural exchanges and communication between the two places. Noting that Hong Kong is home to five of the world's top 100 universities and is actively developing into an international hub for post-secondary education, Mr Lee highlighted that Hong Kong offers a Belt and Road Scholarship to encourage students from Belt and Road countries or regions to pursue post-secondary studies in the city. This initiative aims to attract more outstanding non-local students and talent to Hong Kong. He welcomed more young people of Qatar to study and develop their careers in Hong Kong.
      
     After that, Mr Lee and the delegation attended a roundtable meeting with representatives of the Qatari Businessmen Association and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry respectively. Highlighting Hong Kong’s robust legal system, resilient financial system and simple and low tax regime, Mr Lee welcomed Qatari enterprises to capitalise on Hong Kong's advantages in connecting with both the Mainland and the world under the “one country, two systems” principle. Qatari enterprises can also leverage Hong Kong’s high-quality financial, logistics and professional services, as well as its bridging roles to assist enterprises in going global and attracting external investment, tapping into business opportunities on the Mainland market.
      
     In the afternoon, Mr Lee attended a business luncheon co-hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Addressing the luncheon, Mr Lee introduced Hong Kong's development opportunities and business advantages to over 300 local political and business representatives. Noting that the Middle East is a key region under the Belt and Road Initiative, Mr Lee said this marks his second visit to the Middle East since taking office, and that he was very pleased to see the continuous strengthening of ties and co-operation between Hong Kong and the region. Pointing out that Qatar is Hong Kong's third-largest trading partner in the Middle East region, Mr Lee announced that Hong Kong and Qatar had substantially concluded negotiations on the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, and would begin discussions on mutual recognition arrangements for their respective Authorized Economic Operator Programmes, creating a more favourable environment for flows of capital and goods. He also announced a new arrangement allowing Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders to visit Qatar visa-free for up to 30 days. He said he looks forward to further deepening co-operation with Qatar in such areas as economy and trade, tourism, and culture. He said that Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises complement each other’s strengths, and that Hong Kong will continue to play its bridging role to serve enterprises in going global and attracting external investment, with a view to deepening international exchanges and co-operation. Hong Kong and Qatar can jointly seize the significant development opportunities brought by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative.
      
     During the luncheon, government departments, enterprises, and institutions from Hong Kong, the Mainland and Qatar exchanged and announced 35 MOUs and co-operation agreements covering economic co-operation, investment, technology, legal collaboration, as well as finance, banking, and capital market development. In addition to the co-operation between Hong Kong and Qatar, two agreements were signed directly between Mainland and Qatari enterprises to foster co-operation in financial services and high-end manufacturing. Furthermore, a tripartite agreement was signed among Hong Kong, the Mainland, and Qatar to strengthen co-operation in fintech, covering Web3 and AI, leveraging the respective technological strengths of each region for mutual development.
      
     Afterwards, Mr Lee visited Hamad International Airport in Doha to learn about the operation and effectiveness of its autonomous vehicle pilot project and to examine the application of autonomous buses. The pilot project, which had participation by a Chinese enterprise, UISEE, set a precedent for applying autonomous driving technology at airports in the Middle East region. UISEE is one of the leading companies in autonomous driving technology on the Mainland, having established its international headquarters in Hong Kong as a springboard to expand its business globally. The company collaborated with Hong Kong International Airport on autonomous vehicle projects to enhance the safety and operational efficiency of airport logistics, drawing on the successful experiences to promote the technology to the international market. Hamad International Airport, which is the latest pilot site of UISEE, demonstrated the co-operation among Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Qatar.
      
     Mr Lee and the delegation will depart for Kuwait tonight.
      

                                    

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, concluded the visit of the business delegation comprising representatives from Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises to Qatar together with the Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Dr Peter Lam; the Chief Executive Officer of the MTR Corporation Limited, Dr Jacob Kam; and the Chairman of the Luyi Investment Limited, Mr Yin Haijie, in Doha, Qatar, today (May 12, Doha time). Following are the remarks by Mr Lee:
 
Chief Executive: I will now turn to our English-speaking friends in the media.
 
     This marks my second duty visit to the Middle East since taking office. Our delegation comprises over 50 professionals and leaders of enterprises from Hong Kong plus Mainland China. The composition of the delegation demonstrates Hong Kong's unique role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" under the principle of "one country, two systems". Hong Kong is dedicated to capitalising on its connectivity with both Mainland China and the world, collaborating and synergising with economies and enterprises that are eager to pursue high-quality development with us.
 
     I have set out three major goals for our visit to the Middle East this time. First, to strengthen government-to-government relations; second, to explore new areas of co-operation; third, to make friends and expand our network.
      
     Yesterday, I had the honour of meeting His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar, followed by a meeting with the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. We also visited the Qatar Investment Authority. I introduced to them Hong Kong's latest developments in finance, professional services, and innovation and technology. We agreed to deepen collaboration across sectors between Hong Kong and Qatar.
      
     We have also expanded our business networks. During this visit, we have achieved 35 MOUs and agreements spanning trade, investment, technology, legal co-operation, financial markets and so on.
      
     In addition to Hong Kong-Qatar co-operation, two agreements were reached between enterprises from Mainland China and Qatar, supporting the development of financial services and advanced manufacturing.
      
     A tripartite agreement among organisations from Hong Kong, Mainland China and Qatar was also reached, focusing on fintech collaboration, showcasing Hong Kong's bridging role between different economies.
      
     The delegation has first-hand insights from the visit. The delegation visited the Qatar Foundation to learn about its R&D, education and community projects, and visited Lusail City to better understand the smart infrastructure in Qatar's second-largest city.
      
     Later today, I will visit an autonomous vehicle project at the airport — a project designed by a Mainland Chinese tech firm with its international headquarters in Hong Kong, and first piloted in the Hong Kong International Airport. This exemplifies our role as a launchpad for global innovation.
      
     Tonight, we will depart for Kuwait and will announce the outcome of our duty visit later.
 
Reporter: Thank you honourable sir. I wanted to ask you if you could you give a rough figure of the value of the 35 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) that have been signed today? And if you can go into a little bit more about the sectors whereby Qatar and Hong Kong can both benefit from each other? For example, you mentioned earlier technology in autonomous vehicles manufactured by Yutong.
 
Chief Executive: There are 35 agreements signed within two days. I think that is quite a record. I am very glad that delegate members, plus our counterparts in Qatar, both have been very active and supportive in developing co-operation, collaboration and networking, and I see them really spending their time exchanging contact details and also exchanging ideas on how they can develop the relationship. The 35 co-operation agreements cover areas including economic co-operation, investment, technology, legal co-operation, finance, banking and also capital arrangement. If you want to look at the 35 areas of co-operation, I think if you look at the fullest, then you will see the focus areas of co-operation.
 
     The result of these 35 agreements will have to be judged by those who will then continue their work. What a visit led by the Chief Executive will achieve, and can achieve, is opening the doors first with governments, so that the delegates, business players and entrepreneurs can then continue the liaison to open more doors, windows and opportunities. It is up to them to work hard, and this is something I will be demanding – for them to work hard. But if you look at my last visit to the Middle East, which was about two years ago, after we signed a number of MOUs, we have seen companies producing hydrogen buses for a country in the Middle East. We have seen, for example, on the stock exchange side, stock exchanges exchanging agreements for dual listing. We also see professionals set up their offices in the countries that I visited in the Middle East last time, and they have been receiving work orders and doing their services. I expect the delegates to continue these liaisons amongst themselves. But I am glad to inform you that the amount of enthusiasm is very strong. I will say that there will be more exchanges between not just governments, but in the private sector, chambers, businessmen and associations. And I will see not just exchanges between themselves, but also their participation in some of the events organised in Hong Kong, including both conferences, a lot of match-making deals, etc. I am very positive that the momentum will continue.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)

  

     Hong Kong Customs today (May 12) held the inaugural ceremony of the second term of the Customs YES Honorary Presidents' Association (CYHPA) at the Customs Headquarters Building. The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat, presented appointment certificates to the CYHPA Chairperson, Mr Albert Chuang; Vice-chairpersons Mr Joseph Lin and Mr Kazaf Tam; representatives of supporting organisations and honorary presidents. Mr Chan also presented the Life Honorary Medal to the Chairperson of the first-term CYHPA, Mr Karson Choi, in recognition of his long-standing contributions and support to Customs YES. Other directorates of the department also attended the ceremony.
      
     The CYHPA comprises official and non-official members from different sectors, including legal, commerce and industry, healthcare, innovation and technology, youth services, education and sports, who tender advice and offer multifaceted forms of support to ensure the sustained development and activities of Customs YES.
      
     Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Chan expressed gratitude to the members of the CYHPA for their longstanding partnership with Customs, which has laid a solid foundation for the future development of youth. While highlighting that Customs YES has nurtured numerous National Security Youth Ambassadors to promote national security awareness among the public, Mr Chan also encouraged young people to actively engage in social affairs and jointly uphold Hong Kong's stability and prosperity. Customs YES will continue to provide diverse exchange and learning opportunities, fostering youth to become future leaders who care about the country and have a global outlook while establishing a foothold in Hong Kong.
      
     In his speech, Mr Chuang emphasised that Hong Kong's youth are the future builders and successors of the "one country, two systems" and expressed hope that their participation in the nation's major initiatives would strengthen their sense of ownership and responsibility. He also welcomed the five newly appointed honorary presidents and shared his aspiration to lead members of the new-term CYHPA in serving as a bridge, cultivating a new generation equipped with international perspectives, competence, and dynamism.
      
     Since its launch in 2021, Customs YES has over 8 600 young members aged between 12 and 24. For further information of the scheme, please visit www2.customsyes.hk/.

            

     The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, met with the Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Mr Guy Platten, and his designated successor, Mr Thomas Kazakos, today (May 12) to solidify plans for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the ICS to co-host the second Global Maritime Trade Summit (the Summit) during Hong Kong Maritime Week in November this year. 
      
     "The HKSAR Government treasures our close partnership with the ICS and the global maritime industry. Being a staunch advocate of free trade with zero tariffs and a level-playing field for businesses, we hope that our co-hosting of the upcoming Summit with the ICS will reinforce our shared vision of a connected, efficient, and resilient maritime ecosystem for the common interest of the global maritime community. The Transport and Logistics Bureau will spare no effort to leverage on Hong Kong's status as an international maritime centre to ensure the event's success," said Ms Chan.
      
     "Geopolitical tensions are on the rise and fragmentation is disrupting global trade patterns. This creates significant challenges for our sector and for economies. The ability to hold this forum again in Hong Kong, one of the world's key trade hubs, with both industry leaders and policymakers, creates an ideal opportunity to develop a clearer understanding of the benefits and opportunities of global trade. We look forward to working with the HKSAR Government in making this second Summit a valuable addition to advance global understanding," said Mr Platten.
      
     The inaugural Summit held in the Hong Kong Maritime Week in November 2024 was attended by ministers of foreign governments, leaders of international organisations and industry luminaries from around the world. The two-day Summit set a high benchmark for fostering international dialogue on critical issues facing global trade and shipping and exploring innovative solution to address pressing challenges facing the industry. The Transport and Logistics Bureau will work closely with the ICS in the coming months to bring the second Summit into fruition. Further details will be announced in due course.

      

     The Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission) under the Health Bureau announced today (May 12) that, upon the investigation conducted by an independent cybersecurity expert commissioned by the Kwai Tsing Safe Community and Healthy City Association (KTSCHCA), the operator of the Kwai Tsing District Health Centre (Kwai Tsing DHC), it has been confirmed that there was no leakage of members' data in the suspected intrusion incident involving the outsourced network system of the KTSCHCA on April 27.

     The outsourced network system concerned, independently managed by the outsourced service provider contracted by the KTSCHCA, is mainly used to assist with administrative work such as service booking or members sign-in at the Kwai Tsing DHC. All members' data in the system are encrypted. The investigation conducted by the independent cybersecurity expert has confirmed that while the firewall of the concerned network system had been hacked, the core business server system remained unaffected, and no members' data was leaked in the incident.

     To enhance cybersecurity, the KTSCHCA has implemented a series of strengthening measures, including enhancing firewall protections, as well as installation of a proactive monitoring system and additional detection tools for more robust surveillance of network connections and detection of unauthorised access attempts. The Kwai Tsing DHC has also reported the investigation results to the Police and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data while the PHC Commission has also informed the Digital Policy Office.

     Furthermore, after reviewing the investigation report submitted by the Kwai Tsing DHC and conducting a detailed assessment, the Commissioner for the Electronic Health Record ascertained that the security risks of the relevant system have been eliminated, and therefore, has resumed the connection of the Kwai Tsing DHC with eHealth through the clinical management system specified by the PHC Commission.

     All services at the Kwai Tsing DHC have resumed as normal since last Saturday (May 10), and the Kwai Tsing DHC will notify its members via telephone calls and text messages. Members of the public may contact the DHC at 1878 222 during office hours for enquiries.

     The Government reiterates its strong commitment to cybersecurity. The PHC Commission will urge the operators of the remaining 17 DHCs/DHC Expresses to make reference to the enhanced measures adopted by the KTSCHCA and continue to review their network systems, including the security risks in the network systems of their outsourced service providers and the related computers, as well as any occurrence of suspicious activities. The PHC Commission will also continue to monitor the operations of the DHCs/DHC Expresses of all 18 districts in Hong Kong to ensure the continuous provision of safe and reliable services.