The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (June 27) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H7 avian influenza in Victor Khanye Local Municipality of Mpumalanga Province in South Africa, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products 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 South Africa for the import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. According to the Census and Statistics Department, no poultry meat was imported into Hong Kong from South Africa in the first three months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the South African 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 Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, today (June 27) met with the Director-General of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Hubei Provincial People's Government, Ms Zhang Xiaomei, to exchange views on enhancing youth development and exchanges between Hubei and Hong Kong. The Under Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Mr Clarence Leung, and the Commissioner for Youth, Mr Wallace Lau, also joined the meeting.

     Miss Mak welcomed the delegation led by Ms Zhang. Miss Mak said that Hong Kong and Hubei have frequent contact and close relationships in various areas including finance, innovation and technology, and tourism. Hubei and Hong Kong established a high-level government co-operation mechanism in 2021 to support Hong Kong youths to participate in exchange activities in Hubei to deepen their understanding of national affairs and history, as well as to cultivate their sense of national identity, with the help of Hubei's rich historical and cultural resources. 

     The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) promulgated earlier the Youth Development Blueprint which stated that the breadth and depth of the Mainland and international internship and exchange programmes will be further strengthened. The HYAB is also taking forward the resumption of various youth exchange and internship programmes this year. In the new round of the Funding Scheme for Youth Exchange in the Mainland, non-governmental organisations are sponsored to organise youth exchange tours to the Mainland, including tours in the fields of education, sports and culture in different cities of Hubei Province.

     Miss Mak looks forward to exploring proposals to jointly promote youth development and exchanges with Hubei so as to provide more opportunities for Hong Kong young people to travel there and see for themselves the latest situation of the country. 

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group (Steering Group) welcomes the International Sustainability Standards Board's (ISSB) publication of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Sustainability Disclosure Standards today (June 27). These standards aim at becoming the global baseline for corporate disclosure of climate and sustainability-related information (Note 1).
      
     The Steering Group also welcomes the reliefs built into the ISSB standards that would allow jurisdictions to scale and phase in the requirements. Relevant authorities in Hong Kong will consider alignment of the local requirements with this global baseline in a proportionate approach (Note 2).
      
     The IFRS Foundation has stepped up its presence in Asia by opening an ISSB office in Beijing, China on June 19, 2023. The Steering Group looks forward to engaging with the ISSB in the sustainability reporting journey and collaborating on capacity building. The Steering Group will also maintain a close dialogue with market participants and stakeholders, with a view to developing and implementing world-class regulation across different financial services sub-sectors, as well as enabling Hong Kong to capitalise on climate and sustainability-related opportunities.
      
     Co-Chair of the Steering Group and the Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), Ms Julia Leung, said, "The availability of transparent, comparable and reliable sustainability information is important for financial intermediaries and global investors to meet their obligations to stakeholders on carbon emissions reduction and regulators' requirements. As an international financial centre, Hong Kong needs to align its corporate sustainability-related disclosures with the global baseline to ensure that financial institutions are able to effectively intermediate capital and price sustainability-related risks in this part of the world."
 
     Co-Chair of the Steering Group and the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Mr Eddie Yue,  said, "The Steering Group welcomes the release of the ISSB's standards as a major milestone in creating a globally consistent baseline for sustainability reporting. High-quality, globally comparable sustainability disclosure is essential to effective climate risk assessment and business development. The IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards will facilitate more consistent disclosure, promote best market practices, and ultimately contribute to the accessibility and affordability of sustainable financing for corporates."

     Vice Chair of the IFRS Foundation Ms Teresa Ko said, "Heartfelt congratulations to the ISSB on its inaugural set of two standards. It is an exciting and historic moment as we see the creation of a single set of investor-focused sustainability-related disclosures that could be adopted across the world. I strongly encourage companies to use these two new standards — which have been built on and expanded from the TCFD recommendations. This is crucial for companies to provide investors with information to make more informed investment and capital allocation decisions. I also hope Hong Kong can take a leadership role in Asia in the use of these two standards now that they are published."
 
About the Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group
 
     Established in May 2020, the Steering Group is co-chaired by the HKMA and the SFC. Members include the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Insurance Authority and the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority. The Steering Group aims to co-ordinate the management of climate and environmental risks to the financial sector, accelerate the growth of green and sustainable finance in Hong Kong and support the Government's climate strategies.
 
Note 1: The IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards published on June 26, 2023, include the IFRS S1 General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information and IFRS S2 Climate-related Disclosures. They are built upon the recommendations of the Financial Stability Board's Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), issued in June 2017, which cover four core areas of governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets. 

Note 2: In April 2023, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited released a public consultation on new climate-related reporting requirements for Hong Kong listed companies. The newly proposed climate-related disclosure requirements are referenced against the IFRS S2 Climate-related Disclosures Exposure Draft published by the ISSB in March 2022, and supplemented or modified by subsequent deliberations announced by the ISSB. The consultation is due to close on July 14, 2023, and the consultation conclusions will take market feedback and the final ISSB standards into account.

     The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, today (June 27) attended the 21st Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Cooperation Meeting and met with the Director General of Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, Mr Li Bin, and the Director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Ms Leong Wai-man.
      
     Mr Yeung said, "The National 14th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong to develop into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. The cities in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have close geographical ties. We share a common dialect and enjoy frequent co-operation and exchanges in arts and culture over the years. By joining the Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Cooperation Meeting for the first time since the establishment of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, I believe we can further strengthen trilateral ties and join hands in telling the good stories of China."
      
     Mr Yeung started his itinerary upon his arrival in Zhongshan yesterday (June 26). He visited the Zhongshan Culture & Art Center to understand the venue's offerings for performances in different art forms and their operations. He also called on the Director of the Zhongshan Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau, Ms Xiao Yichong, to exchange views on collaboration in the areas of culture and tourism.
      
     In his closing remarks at the 21st Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Cooperation Meeting, Mr Yeung said, "Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have made remarkable progress in the collaboration in various areas, with a view to jointly developing a cultured bay area. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government attaches great importance to the cultural exchanges and interaction among Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao, including the other cities within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). We have provided funding support to arts groups and artists in Hong Kong taking part in performances and productions in the GBA. The HKSAR Government will host the 'Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival' in 2024. The close collaboration among the cultural institutes in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will promote the inheritance and development of the fine traditions of Chinese culture, and enhance the cultural soft power of the three places, together promoting Chinese culture and telling the good stories of China."
      
     The first Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Cooperation Meeting was held in 2002 with Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. An agreement on cultural co-operation was signed in August 2003 to establish a cultural co-operation framework within the region. In the Meeting this year, working groups had discussions on five specific topics, namely exchanges for performing artists and co-organisation of cultural programmes, co-operation in public libraries and cultural information, co-operation in museum services, exchange and co-operation on intangible cultural heritage, and co-operation in cultural industries.
      
     Mr Yeung will return to Hong Kong this afternoon.

            

     The Government Property Agency is inviting tenders for a three-year tenancy of Government Properties situate at (i) Shop No. 4 on the Departure Level, Deck 2, Inner Pier of Hong Kong – Macau Ferry Terminal, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, and (ii) Shop B1 on the Pier Deck, Inner Pier of Hong Kong – Macau Ferry Terminal, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong.

     The premises should only be used for general retail purposes, including storage, sale and display of duty-free liquor, cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products but excluding any goods or commodities that are prohibited under the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60), any regulations made thereunder and any amending legislations.

     The tender notice was uploaded today (June 27) to the Agency's website: www.gpa.gov.hk. Tender documents are available for collection at the Government Property Agency, 9/F, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, during the period from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, except public holidays. The documents can also be downloaded from the Agency's website.

     Interested tenderers who wish to attend a site inspection should make a prior appointment with the Agency by calling 3842 6775 on or before July 6.

     Tenderers must submit their tenders by placing them in the Government Logistics Department Tender Box situated on the Ground Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, before noon on July 18. Late tenders will not be accepted.