The Government welcomes the Legislative Council's passage of the Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 2024 today (March 19).
      
      To more effectively combat unlicensed specified processes operations that may cause serious air pollution, the Bill introduces a statutory closure notice mechanism. At the same time, the amendment exercise optimises the scope of "cement works" and the definition of "premises" under specified processes to avoid misinterpretation or control circumvention, such that the trade could enjoy a clearer and fairer business environment.
      
     The amendment exercise also tightens five existing Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) and adds three parameters newly introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) to the WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines. Among the 15 updated AQOs, seven are set at the most stringent levels of the Guidelines, which are on par with those of other advanced economies. 
      
     The Bill will come into effect on April 11, 2025.
      
     A Government spokesman said, "Through implementing various local air pollution control measures and closely collaborating with the Guangdong Provincial Government, Hong Kong's air quality has continued to improve. Over the past two years, Hong Kong's air quality has attained the best level since its return to the motherland, and the concentrations of major air pollutants have dropped by about 40 to 80 per cent. We will continue to work with Guangdong Province to improve the air quality of the entire Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and build a beautiful bay area together."

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 19) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri District of Telangana State in India, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry eggs from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with India for the import of poultry eggs but not for poultry meat. According to the Census and Statistics Department, no eggs were imported into Hong Kong from India last year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Indian authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Wang Weizhong, at Government House today (March 19) to exchange views on further strengthening co-operation between Hong Kong and Guangdong, and promoting the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Also attending the meeting were the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip; and the Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Ms Maisie Chan.
          
     Mr Lee welcomed Mr Wang and his delegation to Hong Kong. Mr Lee said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government attaches importance to the work on Hong Kong's integration into the overall national development. Shortly upon the establishment of the current-term Government, the Steering Group on Integration into National Development was set up to take forward and provide a steer from the top level on the work of serving the development of the GBA. He said that Guangdong and Hong Kong are adjacent to each other and interdependent, and have shared an all-round, deep and multidisciplinary co-operative relationship for many years. With the strong support from the Central Authorities, Guangdong and Hong Kong have worked with one mind to promote co-operation in finance, innovation and technology, logistics, healthcare and other fields, and have achieved fruitful results.
      
     Mr Lee highlighted that the People's Government of Guangdong Province issued offshore Renminbi (RMB) local government bonds in Hong Kong for the first time in September last year. This initiative not only further strengthened Hong Kong's position as a global offshore RMB business hub, but also promoted the GBA in better serving as the driving force for high-quality development. Welcoming more Mainland local governments to issue offshore RMB bonds and green bonds in Hong Kong, Mr Lee noted that Hong Kong will continue to leverage its advantages in connecting with the international financial system and providing professional services, contributing to the country's promotion of high-level financial opening up.
      
     Mr Lee said that the HKSAR Government will continue to actively maintain close co-operation with the People's Government of Guangdong Province, with a view to enhancing the innovation capabilities and influence of the GBA as a region with economic development advantages, as well as achieving complementarity and collaborative development among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. It also aims to align with national development strategies and leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages of being backed by the motherland and connected to the world under the "one country, two systems" principle to deepen international exchanges and co-operation, and better integrate into the overall national development.

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Judiciary updated today (March 19) its earlier announcement of a two-year pilot scheme for the live webcast of court proceedings in the Court of Final Appeal (CFA). There will be no live broadcast of the CFA hearing on April 1, as the case originally scheduled for that date has, upon the parties' application, been vacated by court order. The live webcast of court proceeding on April 7 will proceed as scheduled.

     The Civil Service College held a talk on "Xi Jinping Thought on Culture" at the Central Government Offices today (March 19). The talk was delivered by Vice President of the National Academy of Governance Mr Li Wentang.

     Addressing the talk, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said that Xi Jinping Thought on Culture serves as the theoretical guidance for the development of a socialist culture with Chinese Characteristics for a new era. It emphasises strengthening cultural confidence, upholding openness and inclusiveness, and adhering to fundamental principles and breaking new ground. The significance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture lies not only in the inheritance and development of traditional Chinese culture, but also in providing spiritual strength for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through the promotion of building a strong cultural nation. 

     She pointed out that Hong Kong possesses a unique advantage in the integration of Chinese and Western cultures. Hong Kong should leverage its role as "a platform for cultural exchange between China and the West" to promote the inheritance and innovation of the fine traditional Chinese culture, and facilitate the exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and other cultures. Hong Kong should tell the international community the story of the successful implementation of "one country, two systems" in China to attract more talent from across the world for enhancing its international competitiveness and influence, and make greater contributions to the high-level opening up of the country. 

     About 160 politically appointed officials and civil servants in the directorate, senior and middle ranks attended the talk today.