The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met the Hong Kong candidates of the recruitment of payload specialists for the National Manned Space Programme who will soon depart for Beijing for the second round of selection, at Government House today (June 7) to show his support. Also attending the meeting were the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong; and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip.
      
     "The country launched the recruitment of the fourth batch of astronauts and the recruitment of payload specialists in Hong Kong for the first time last year, giving Hong Kong citizens the opportunity to participate in the National Manned Space Programme. This demonstrated that the country has attached great importance and recognition to the science and technology sector of Hong Kong, as well as the affirmation of Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology centre," said Mr Lee.
      
     He said he was pleased to note that more than 10 Hong Kong candidates from government departments, the Hospital Authority, universities, and other institutions and enterprises had passed the preliminary screening for the payload specialist selection process. It is a strong testimony to Hong Kong's talent pool in the fields of scientific research and innovation.
      
     He encouraged the candidates to do their best in the second round of the selection, giving full play to their strengths and overcoming challenges with unwavering determination. He wished all candidates success and hoped that they would stand out from many others, striving to realise the space aspiration of Hong Kong people and contributing to the aerospace endeavours of the country.
      

  

     Win's Engineering (HK) Company Limited was fined $60,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (June 7) for violation of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance. The prosecutions were launched by the Labour Department.
      
     The case involved a fatal accident that occurred on December 9, 2020, at a construction site in Stanley. Two workers, while dismantling a metal hoarding at the site, were pressed by the collapsed portion of the hoarding. One of the workers died and the other was injured.

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, will depart for Shanghai tomorrow (June 8) to attend the 14th Lujiazui Forum.
 
     Themed "Global Financial Opening-up and Cooperation: New Drivers of Economic Recovery", this year's forum will be held on June 8 and 9. Mr Hui will speak at the Plenary Session IV: "Global Monetary Policy Adjustment and Financial Risk Mitigation" on June 9 to elaborate on the ways to address the current instability of the global financial system and the volatility of financial markets.
 
     Co-organised by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, the People's Bank of China, the National Administration of Financial Regulation and the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the 14th Lujiazui Forum is a reputable financial forum in the country, which also serves as an influential platform for high-level international financial dialogue. Senior leaders from governments and financial regulators worldwide, top echelon of premier financial institutions as well as renowned experts and scholars are invited to participate in the forum to exchange views on the prevailing major financial issues. 
 
     During his stay in Shanghai, Mr Hui will meet with senior officials of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government and regulators, and will call on key financial institutions in the city.
 
     Mr Hui will return to Hong Kong on the evening of June 9. During Mr Hui's absence, the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, will act as the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury.

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     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 7) that the Environmental Protection Department has classified the water quality at Stanley Main Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island as Grade 4, which means the beach is not suitable for swimming. The red flag has been hoisted. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach until further notice.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (June 7) that in view of notifications from the Agricultural and Livestock Service of Chile and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Melipilla Province of Santiago Metropolitan Region in Chile and the District of Regensburg of the State of Bayern in Germany respectively, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with Chile 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 Chile and no poultry meat or eggs were imported into Hong Kong from Germany in the first three months of this year.

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