â€‹The Home Affairs Department (HAD) will present the third "Happy Hong Kong" Gourmet Marketplace on the upcoming Saturday and Sunday (June 3 and 4) at the VESSEL along the Kwun Tong promenade. Entry to the Marketplace is free and does not require admission tickets.

     The third "Happy Hong Kong" Gourmet Marketplace hosts over 65 booths under the theme of Wine and Dine with a focus on Asian cuisine. Members of the public can enjoy Asian gourmet dishes and fine wines from all over the world against the backdrop of the beautiful Kwun Tong promenade. There are also performances, cooking demonstrations, children's games and large-scale "check-in" spots for photo shooting at the Marketplace for members of the public to enjoy on the weekend.

     The Kwun Tong Gourmet Marketplace will open from 10am to 8pm on June 3 and 4. Members of the public coming by MTR may exit at B6 of MTR Ngau Tau Kok Station for a walk to the Marketplace (see attached map).

     The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB) is inviting public views on a section on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) for inclusion in China's fourth report to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism starting from today (June 1).

     The UNHRC has been conducting its fourth UPR on the human rights situation of Member States of the UN since 2022. The fourth UPR on China will be held between January and February 2024. The Central People's Government will submit a report to the UN for the UPR. The report will have a section on the HKSAR.

     In accordance with the established practice, the Government has prepared an outline of the HKSAR section of the report to facilitate public comments on relevant issues. Copies of the outline of the report can be obtained from the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of District Offices. It is also available on the CMAB website at www.cmab.gov.hk.

     "Members of the public may submit their views to us on or before June 21, 2023, on the areas and content that should be covered in the report of the HKSAR. We will consider carefully the comments and suggestions received in drafting the report," a CMAB spokesperson said.

     Members of the public who would like to express their views can write to the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (Team 5), 12/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar; or send their submissions by fax to 2840 0657, or by email to upr_consultation@cmab.gov.hk.

     The Government today (June 1) announced the reappointment of the Chairman, Mr Jack So Chak-kwong, and three serving members, as well as the appointment of a new member, to the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) with effect from June 1, 2023.

     Mr So is reappointed as the AA Chairman for one year to May 31, 2024. 

     The three serving members reappointed are Mr Rock Chen Chung-nin, Ms Irene Chow Man-ling and Dr William Wong Ming-fung, SC. They are reappointed for three years to May 31, 2026. 

     The new member, Mr Stephen Yiu Kin-wah, is appointed for three years to May 31, 2026.

     Mr Stuart Thomson Gulliver and Ms Nisa Bernice Leung Wing-yu are leaving the AA today. The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the two members for their valuable advice on various issues concerning the services and expansion of Hong Kong International Airport and their contributions to the work of the AA during their tenure.

     Under the Airport Authority Ordinance, the Chairman and members of the AA are appointed by the Chief Executive. The appointments will be published in the Government Gazette tomorrow (June 2).

     The following is the full membership of the AA with effect from June 1, 2023: 

Chairman:
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Mr Jack So Chak-kwong

Members:
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Ms Sabrina Chao Sih-ming
Mr Rock Chen Chung-nin
Mr Philip Chen Nan-lok
Ms Irene Chow Man-ling
Mr Laurence Li Lu-jen, SC
Dr Lo Wai-kwok
Mr Edwin Tong Ka-hung
Mr Adrian Wong Koon-man
Dr William Wong Ming-fung, SC
Mr Stephen Yiu Kin-wah
Secretary for Transport and Logistics
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
Director-General of Civil Aviation
Chief Executive Officer, Airport Authority (ex officio) 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) held a luncheon with major financial institutions and corporates in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on May 31 (Dubai time) to promote Hong Kong's value propositions as a leading international financial centre and strengthen financial collaboration with the UAE. The event was one of the highlights of the three-day visit to the UAE, led by the Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Eddie Yue, and joined by senior banking executives from major Hong Kong banks including:
 

• Chairman, The Hong Kong Association of Banks; Vice Chairman and Chief Executive, Bank of China (Hong Kong), Mr Sun Yu;
• Co-Chief Executive, Asia-Pacific, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Mr David Liao;
• Chief Executive Officer, Asia, Standard Chartered Bank, Mr Benjamin Hung; and
• Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong and Macau, Citi, Ms Aveline San.

     The luncheon was attended by around 80 senior representatives from more than 50 major local financial institutions and corporates. In his opening remarks, Mr Yue said, "The strong economic ties between the UAE and Hong Kong lay a solid foundation and practical need for our banking and investment ecosystem to mutually thrive and optimise. As we are forging ahead with our new initiatives to fortify our ecosystem and create new opportunities, Hong Kong certainly has much to offer."

     The luncheon featured a panel discussion which demonstrated Hong Kong's value propositions as a dominant gateway to mainland China, a leading offshore Renminbi business centre, and an international fintech and green finance hub. The speakers saw great potential in closer financial collaboration between Hong Kong and the UAE as the respective gateways to Asia and the Middle East and North Africa.
      
     During the visit to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Mr Yue also held meetings with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Financial Services Regulatory Authority of the Abu Dhabi Global Market, Dubai Financial Services Authority, tech companies, family offices and institutional investors including sovereign wealth funds to exchange views on a host of topics that aim to extend financial collaboration.

     The above events followed the bilateral meeting on May 29 between the HKMA and the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates to enhance collaboration between the two central banking institutions.

     Concluding the UAE visit, Mr Yue said, "The visit has paved way for the further strengthening of bilateral ties and promoted Hong Kong as a leading international financial centre. I am impressed by the strong interest and commitment of the official and private sectors to strengthen our broad-based partnership across the financial ecosystem. This will no doubt help foster closer linkage in financial infrastructure and co-operation between financial institutions from the two sides, bringing substantial benefits to cross-border trade and investment opportunities. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates for facilitating the visit, as well as to the four participating banks from Hong Kong for their support and contribution."

     Mr Yue also said, "The productive visit marks an important step in furthering our bilateral relationship with the UAE. I look forward to sustaining the strong momentum by working with my UAE counterparts and stakeholders in the financial sector to take forward the many co-operative initiatives we've identified in the visit."

    

     In order to attract people with aspirations to serve the community to join the civil service and to enable young people to better plan their future career development, starting from this year, the Government will expand the pool of eligible candidates for civil service jobs requiring an undergraduate degree to students advancing to their third year of undergraduate studies (in a four-year curriculum) in the new academic year or those currently in their third year of undergraduate studies. Recommended candidates will be granted a conditional offer and will join the Government upon graduation.
 
     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, met with representatives of eight University Grants Committee-funded universities at the Central Government Offices today (June 1) to exchange views on how to encourage more university students on campus with aspirations to serve the community to join the civil service.
 
     In the past, government departments/grades would generally consider only final year students or those who have already obtained the relevant qualifications during recruitment. Under the new initiative, departments/grades may, having regard to their manpower resources and operational needs, consider whether to expand the pool of eligible candidates to undergraduate or postgraduate students in their penultimate year of study, so they may apply for civil service jobs requiring an undergraduate or a postgraduate qualification. Such arrangements will be clearly set out in the recruitment advertisements. Successful candidates with conditional offers can join the civil service upon graduation, subject to their fulfillment of specified conditions, including the completion of the relevant academic qualification within a stipulated period of time.
 
     Mrs Yeung said, "Every year, the Government conducts recruitment exercises for jobs of different professions and nature, providing a wide range of employment opportunities for graduates, young people and job seekers. For young people with aspirations to join the civil service, to serve the community and to contribute to the country, we hope to provide opportunities to them as early as possible and allow them to join the Government immediately upon graduation to realise their potential and fulfil their aspirations.
 
     "This new initiative will be a win-win situation for young people, universities as well as the Government. Young people with aspirations to join the Government will be able to plan their careers early, focus on their studies and equip themselves after being offered a conditional appointment. Universities will be able to help more students interested in public services to plan ahead and better prepare themselves. The Government will be able to recruit talent as early as possible to infuse new blood into the civil service and build up a diverse talent pool."
 
     She added, "As more and more public organisations and private enterprises have implemented similar initiatives, it is important for the Government to keep abreast with the times and recruit talent earlier. We will collaborate with universities and post-secondary institutions to provide details of the initiative to students in campuses."
 
Civil service recruitment examination arrangements
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     The Civil Service Bureau will adjust the arrangements of the relevant civil service recruitment examinations in light of the above initiative.
 
     The Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) and the Basic Law and National Security Law Test (Degree/Professional Grades) (BLNST) tentatively scheduled for October (in Hong Kong) and December (in cities outside Hong Kong) this year, and the Joint Recruitment Examination for Administrative Officer, Executive Officer II, Assistant Labour Officer II, Assistant Trade Officer II, Management Services Officer II and Transport Officer II (JRE) scheduled for December (in Hong Kong and cities outside Hong Kong) will be open to persons holding a bachelor's degree, final year undergraduate students (i.e. graduating in the 2023-24 academic year), and penultimate year undergraduate students graduating in the 2024-25 academic year.
 
     The next round of the CRE and BLNST is tentatively scheduled to be open for application in August (for examinations in Hong Kong) and September (for examinations outside Hong Kong) this year, while the JRE (for examinations in and outside Hong Kong) is tentatively scheduled to be open for application in September.
 
     It is expected that similar arrangements will be announced by different departments/grades. Those who wish to apply for civil service jobs early are advised to pay attention to the recruitment and examination details concerned.