Tag Archives: China

     The Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, inspected the Castle Peak Bay Immigration Centre (CIC) and Immigration Service Institute of Training and Development (ISITD) today (October 28) to learn more about their facilities and operation.
 
     Mr Tang, accompanied by the Director of Immigration, Mr Au Ka-wang, was briefed on the operation and management of the CIC by the centre’s personnel. Mr Tang then inspected various facilities in the CIC, including the dayrooms, dormitories, special units, exercise yard and sick bay. He also met and exchanged views with the centre’s personnel to know more about their work, as well as the difficulties and challenges they face under a heavy workload.
 
     The CIC is one of the detention facilities of the Immigration Department (ImmD), and has a maximum capacity of 500 detainees. The detainees at the CIC are illegal immigrants, overstayers, or persons refused permission to land in Hong Kong. They are pending removal. Among them, some are non-refoulement claimants. Under the law and prevailing detention policy, the ImmD will consider all the facts and circumstances of any particular case, including whether the person concerned has committed a serious crime and whether there is any risk of the person absconding or reoffending. Regular and timely reviews of each case will also be conducted to determine whether an individual should be further detained.
 
     Mr Tang then visited the ISITD to learn about its organisation, training programmes and facilities. He also inspected “National Education” and “Immigration Control and Passenger Clearance” classes to gain a deeper understanding of the training provided by the ImmD. Mr Tang said that national education is conducive to trainees’ understanding of national development and helps engender a sense of national identity, which nurtures them into law enforcement officers with a sense of belonging to the country, an affection for Hong Kong and an international perspective.
 
     Mr Tang took the opportunity to express gratitude to ImmD personnel for upholding the values of “integrity and impartiality” by performing various duties even-handedly and serving the community with dedication and professionalism all along.

                

     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Caspar Tsui, today (October 28) expressed his heartfelt congratulations to Hong Kong swimmers Wong Hon-yin and Cheong Sui-kei on their winning another gold medal in the Men’s and Women’s SM14 200m Individual Medley events respectively, on the last day of competitions at the 11th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 8th National Special Olympic Games of the People’s Republic of China held in Shaanxi Province. 

     Mr Tsui said, “Hong Kong athletes’ achievements at this Games are remarkable. In particular, Wong Hon-yin and Cheong Sui-kei have each participated in five swimming events, and won five gold medals and four gold and one silver medals respectively. It is absolutely a formidable task for them to finish the competitions with flying colours. I would also like to express my gratitude to the coaches and supporting team for their guidance and support to the athletes. I hope the athletes will scale new heights in the future.”

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region sent a delegation with 35 members to participate in the Games, including 23 athletes to compete in three sports events, namely athletics, swimming and table tennis. Hong Kong athletes have performed brilliantly and won a total of 17 medals, comprising 10 gold, one silver and six bronze medals. 

     Mr Tsui will attend the closing ceremony of this Games and join the flag handover ceremony tomorrow. Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will co-host the 15th National Games as well as the next National Games for Persons with Disabilities and National Special Olympic Games in 2025. read more

     The Government announced today (October 28) that from November 2 (Tuesday) the quarantine exemption arrangement for persons arriving in Hong Kong from Macao under the Return2hk Scheme and the Come2hk Scheme will be re… read more

     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai today (October 28):
 
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     I am delighted to speak to you on this grand occasion: the formal opening of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Dubai, Hong Kong’s first official representation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Middle East, and our 14th overseas ETO. The establishment of our Dubai office underscores the importance we attach to the UAE and the five other member states of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.
 
     I am most grateful to our host, the Government of the UAE, for its unwavering support of this far-reaching bridge linking our economies and our peoples. Allow me also to express my gratitude to all those involved in bringing the Dubai ETO to such promising life, despite the challenging conditions that the pandemic continues to present to economies all over the world. My thanks, in particular, to the Chinese Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate-General in Dubai, as well as the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong.

     The Dubai ETO is a clear and compelling statement of the value Hong Kong places on our relations and our future with the UAE. When the pandemic is finally behind us, opportunities for collaboration and mutual growth will surely abound. We certainly have much to offer each other, with both the UAE and Hong Kong serving as international business hubs in our respective regions.
 
     Hong Kong is one of the world’s leading financial centres and is the only city in the world that offers a secure, dynamic environment for business and direct access to the Chinese economy. Last month the Global Financial Centres Index ranked Hong Kong third globally, among the more than 100 financial centres assessed. The Fraser Institute once again named Hong Kong the world’s freest economy. And the 2021 World Investment Report, published in June by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, ranked Hong Kong the world’s third-largest recipient of foreign direct investment last year, behind only the United States and Mainland China.
 
     Our new ETO in Dubai will make it much easier for businesses and investors in the UAE and throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council to take advantage of Hong Kong’s singular opportunities under our “One Country, Two Systems” framework. As I have emphasised in my annual Policy Address delivered earlier this month, with the Central Government’s unwavering support, Hong Kong has already overcome the challenges in the past two years and got back on the right track of “One Country, Two Systems”, enabling us to better integrate into the overall national development and bringing continuous impetus to our economy. 
 
     Among the opportunities ahead of us is the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the cluster-city development that integrates the economies of Hong Kong, Macao and nine southern Chinese cities. The Greater Bay Area creates a market of some 86 million people, with a combined GDP of about US$1.7 trillion. China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, let me add, backs Hong Kong’s rise as a global innovation and technology hub. It also supports the enhancing of our long-standing strengths in financial services, trade and transportation, together with Hong Kong’s international development in such areas as culture, legal and dispute-resolution services and intellectual property trading.
 
     In short, ladies and gentlemen, there is no better time for the UAE and the other Middle East economies to tap into the opportunities Hong Kong, and only Hong Kong, can offer you. Our Dubai ETO and its investment promotion team look forward to helping you realise rewarding business investment opportunities in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and throughout the Mainland and the Asian region. We also look forward to forging free trade agreements and investment agreements with economies in the Middle East in the future.
 
     Expo 2020 Dubai opened this month, and I’m pleased to hear that it has been enthusiastically received internationally. That’s wonderful news for the UAE, and for a world eager to once again celebrate life. Speaking of celebrations, my congratulations, as well, to the UAE for its golden jubilee. I hope that I will be able to visit you and join in the festivities in the near future.
 
     Once again, my congratulations and best wishes on the opening of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai. Thank you.

    

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai (Dubai ETO) commenced operation today (October 28). It is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government’s first ETO in the Middle East region and its opening will strengthen Hong Kong’s economic and trade relations with trading partners in the region, in particular the six member states of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC).
 
     The occasion was marked by an opening ceremony held at the Dubai ETO today. Addressing the opening ceremony of the Dubai ETO by way of a video message, the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, said the establishment of the Dubai ETO underscored the importance Hong Kong attaches to the partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the five other member states of the GCC. She noted that the new office would assist businesses and investors throughout the region to take advantage of Hong Kong’s singular opportunities, including those brought about by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the National 14th Five-Year Plan, which back Hong Kong’s rise as a global innovation and technology hub and support the enhancing of the city’s long-standing strengths in financial services, trade and transport, together with its international development in such areas as culture, legal and dispute-resolution services and intellectual property trading.
 
     The opening ceremony was hosted by the Director-General of the Dubai ETO, Mr Damian Lee, and the officiating guests included the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi; the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the UAE, Mr Ni Jian; the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai, Mr Li Xuhang; the Deputy Director of the Dubai Office of the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Rashid Abdulla Al Qaseer; and the Assistant Director-General of the Dubai Department of Economic Development, Mr Khalid Ibrahim Al Kassim.
 
     The GCC is one of Hong Kong’s valued trading and investment partners and is home to over 50 million people. The total merchandise trade between Hong Kong and the GCC amounted to $100 billion in 2020. With the GCC countries being committed to developing diversified economies, Hong Kong is eminently poised to provide tremendous opportunities for GCC companies and entrepreneurs aiming to expand their business portfolios, particularly under the Belt and Road Initiative, and extend their market presence to the Mainland and the Asia-Pacific region. There are various sectors of mutual interest, from new and traditional energy to smart city, transportation, logistics, financial technology, biotechnology and jewellery.
 
     The geographical coverage of the Dubai ETO includes the six member states of the GCC, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
 
     The location and contact details of the Dubai ETO are as follows:
 
Address: Unit OT 27-34, 27/F, Central Park Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, PO Box 333724, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 (0)4 453 3800
Fax: +971 (0)4 453 3899
Website: www.hketodubai.gov.hk
Email: enquiry@hketodubai.gov.hk
 
     The HKSAR Government has been actively expanding the network of overseas ETOs to enhance external promotion and exchanges, seeking new business opportunities for Hong Kong. The Dubai ETO is Hong Kong’s 14th overseas ETO and is the second overseas ETO set up by the current-term Government, following the establishment of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Bangkok in February 2019. The ETOs are Hong Kong’s official representation overseas, and promote Hong Kong’s interests and reputation and work to strengthen ties with relevant countries on economic, trade, cultural and other matters. Overseas ETOs closely monitor developments that might affect Hong Kong’s interests, and liaise closely with the commercial and industrial sectors, politicians and foreign media. They also arrange or co-organise promotional events with other overseas Hong Kong organisations to promote Hong Kong’s advantages and latest developments.