The Chief Executive's Council of Advisers on Innovation and Strategic Development (the Council) held its 11th meeting today (May 11). Members were briefed on the Central People's Government's (CPG's) support for Hong Kong's positioning in the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (the 14th Five-Year Plan) and development of the Airport City in Hong Kong. The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, also took the opportunity to update members on improvements to the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Hong Kong's latest COVID-19 situation.

     In discussions on the 14th Five-Year Plan, members recognised that Hong Kong's long-term stability and prosperity had to be underpinned by the full and faithful implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle. They warmly welcomed the support given to the HKSAR in the 14th Five-Year Plan which, in addition to continuing to support Hong Kong to consolidate and advance as international financial, transportation and trade centres as well as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, has recognised the city's strengths and competitiveness in developing an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub, an international aviation hub, an East meets West centre for international cultural exchanges, and an intellectual property trading hub. Members were also excited about the reference in the Plan to the development of a high-quality Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and inclusion of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Loop as a major platform of co-operation in the GBA. 

     In addition, Dr Victor Fung, member of the Council and Chairman of the 2022 Foundation, presented to the Council the recommendations of the second phase study of the GBA, "Creating Hong Kong's New Advantages in the GBA – Identifying new pathways to growth and opportunity" (the GBA Study). 

     In presenting the findings of the GBA Study to the Council, Dr Fung highlighted seven areas for Hong Kong to expand and extend her competitive advantages, and to develop new roles as potential new sources of growth for the Hong Kong economy. Members spoke in support of the directions and offered advice on how each area could be taken forward with leadership from the Government and active participation of businesses and local institutions.

     Members from different backgrounds offered their views on how Hong Kong should seize the opportunities under the 14th Five-Year Plan and development of the GBA for Hong Kong's better integration into the Mainland economy and for our long-term development. In particular, many Members pointed out that biopharmaceutical manufacturing had the potential to drive re-industrialisation in Hong Kong and that the Government should gear up its institutional setup and devise suitable policies in co-operation with the Mainland counterparts to attract more international pharmaceutical companies to establish foothold in Hong Kong. Noting that the enactment and implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong as well as the improvement to the electoral system of the HKSAR have restored stability to the city, members were of the view that Hong Kong should leverage the opportunities arising from the development of the GBA to accelerate its economic recovery. Members emphasised that fighting the pandemic should remain the priority task for the Government at the moment and urged that the Government should step up efforts in encouraging members of the public to get vaccination. 

     Mrs Lam expressed appreciation for the comprehensiveness of the GBA Study, which has provided insightful suggestions on how Hong Kong can harness her strengths in areas including basic research, capital raising capacity and high degree of internationalisation to contribute to the GBA development, and thanked members for their views and suggestions on how Hong Kong could leverage the opportunities from the 14th Five-Year Plan.

     "Since the promulgation of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in February 2019, my Government has spared no effort in seeking CPG's support for measures that are conducive to Hong Kong's businesses and professional services accessing the GBA. At the same time, a range of measures has been implemented to facilitate the flow of people, goods, capital and information between the Hong Kong and the Mainland cities in the GBA. But much more needs to be done with a clear pathway in mind. The GBA Study has certainly given us much food for thought," said Mrs Lam.

     "I will continue to lead my governing team and engage stakeholders to identify new opportunities for Hong Kong in helping the economy to rebound and improving people's livelihood. In this respect, we realise that further controlling the COVID-19 epidemic to enable the resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland is crucial," Mrs Lam added. 

     Members were also briefed by Mr Fred Lam, Chief Executive Officer of the Airport Authority, on the development of the Airport City in Hong Kong. They expressed full support for the range of initiatives to transform Hong Kong's well-positioned airport into an Airport City driving Hong Kong's economy, which is in line with CPG's support for Hong Kong to become an international aviation hub and the GBA Study's recommendation that Hong Kong's function as a leading international aviation logistics hub should be enlarged.

     The Council is a high-level body to give advice on Hong Kong's strategic positioning in the global and regional contexts and directions of economic development, provide guidance on evidence-based research and studies on related issues, and advise on stakeholder engagement and public participation in the policy formulation and consensus building process.

     The Government will exercise the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) and publish in the Gazette a compulsory testing notice, which requires any person who had been present at 30 specified premises during the specified period (persons subject to compulsory testing) to undergo a COVID-19 nucleic acid test.
     
     A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau reminded the public that persons who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination course would be taken to have complied with the requirements set out in the compulsory testing notices and hence are not required to undergo compulsory testing. Completion of the vaccination course in general means having received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine 14 days ago.
      
​     In relation to the previous local cases involving N501Y mutant strain, any person who had been present at three specified premises during the specified period had to undergo additional testing. Furthermore, since there were outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infection and/or influenza-like illness in 27 schools, and the symptoms of the concerned diseases are similar to those of COVID-19, for prudence's sake, the 27 schools are also covered in the compulsory testing notice today (May 11). Under existing practice, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) will provide these kindergartens and schools with stool specimen bottles or deep throat saliva specimen collection packs direct.
 
     Details of the compulsory testing notice are at Annex 1.
    
     In addition, subsequent to the announcement by the CHP on the updated quarantine arrangements of local COVID-19 cases with the N501Y mutant strain, persons who resided or worked within the same building as the residence of relevant cases and had been released from the quarantine centres will be subject to compulsory testing on the 3rd, 7th, 12th and 19th day counting from the day on which the confirmed case left the relevant building. They will also be required to undergo self-monitoring until the 21st day. Details of the buildings and dates of testing are listed at Annex 2. Relevant persons have to undergo testing on specified dates.
 
     In accordance with the compulsory testing notice issued earlier, all household members of close contacts are required to undergo compulsory testing. Any person who had lived with a person placed under quarantine pursuant to section 22 of the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation (Cap. 599A) (person under quarantine) in the same residential unit on the date of commencement of quarantine or during the 14 days before that day, and who becomes aware of the quarantine of the person under quarantine when the relevant quarantine has not yet been completed, has to undergo testing within two days of him or her becoming aware that the person under quarantine has been placed under quarantine and report to the Government the result of the test by phone (at 6275 6901), fax (at 2530 5872) or email (ct@csb.gov.hk) within three days of undergoing the test.
 
     Currently, there are a total of 21 community testing centres (CTCs) providing testing service for the public, including free service for persons subject to compulsory testing. Booking and walk-in services are available. Members of the public only need to provide simple personal information on the 24-hour booking system (www.communitytest.gov.hk/en). Booking status of centres for the coming week will be shown for public's selection of suitable testing centre and time slot for testing. The testing centres will accord priority to serve individuals with advance bookings. The number of tests available for appointments at CTCs has been increased to over 46 000 per day, and additional manpower has been deployed to serve the public. As of 6pm today, there are around 21 000 booking places available for tomorrow (May 12) at the 21 CTCs, and around 69% and 81% booking places for the coming 7 days and 14 days respectively. Members of the public may call the testing centres for enquiries on the availability of bookings or walk-in quotas before visiting the centres.
 
     The Government will set up a mobile specimen collection station at C.U.H.K. F.A.A. Thomas Cheung School, Tai Wai tomorrow for persons subject to compulsory testing. The Government will also plan for additional mobile specimen collection stations to meet the testing demand for foreign domestic helpers in the coming weekends. Further announcement will be made later.           

     Coupled with the 21 CTCs, there will be a total of 38 CTCs/mobile specimen collection stations in various districts tomorrow to provide free service for persons subject to compulsory testing, and the testing capacity should be sufficient to meet the demand. The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations in various districts providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for the general public are stated in Annex 3. Persons subject to compulsory testing, and those with "LeaveHomeSafe" COVID-19 exposure notification or SMS notification from the Centre for Health Protection reminding them to undergo testing as soon as possible may receive free testing at community testing centres or mobile specimen collection stations (if the service scope is applicable).
 
     Persons subject to compulsory testing may choose to undergo testing via the following routes:
 
     1. To visit any of the mobile specimen collection stations (see the list and target groups (if applicable) at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html) for testing;
     2. To attend any of the community testing centres (see the list at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en);
     3. To obtain a deep throat saliva specimen collection pack from any of the 121 post offices, vending machines set up at 20 MTR stations or 47 designated general outpatient clinics (GOPCs) of the Hospital Authority and return the specimen to one of the designated specimen collection points (see the distribution points and times, and the specimen collection points and times, at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html);
     4. To undergo testing at any of the GOPCs of the Hospital Authority as instructed by a medical professional of the Hospital Authority;
     5. To self-arrange testing provided by private laboratories which are recognised by the Department of Health (DH) and can issue SMS notifications in respect of test results (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf); or
     6. To use a specimen bottle distributed to the relevant specified premises by the CHP (if applicable), and return the specimen bottle with the sample collected as per relevant guidelines.
 
     The spokesman cautioned that testing received at Accident and Emergency Departments of the Hospital Authority or during hospital stays, or testing provided by private laboratories which cannot issue SMS notifications in respect of test results, does not comply with the requirements of the aforementioned compulsory testing notice.
 
     "If persons subject to compulsory testing have symptoms, they should seek medical attention immediately and undergo testing as instructed by a medical professional. They should not attend the mobile specimen collection stations or the community testing centres."
 
     Persons subject to compulsory testing must keep the SMS notification containing the result of the test for checking by a law enforcement officer when the officer requires the persons to provide information about their undergoing the specified test.
 
     Furthermore, persons subject to testing under the compulsory testing notices should, as far as reasonably practicable, take appropriate personal disease prevention measures including wearing a mask and maintaining hand hygiene, and, unless for the purpose of undergoing the specified test, stay at their place of residence and avoid going out until the test result is ascertained as far as possible.
 
     Any enquiries on compulsory testing arrangements may be addressed to the hotline at 6275 6901, which operates daily from 9am to 6pm. If persons subject to compulsory testing plan to conduct testing at any of the community testing centres, they can check the centre's appointment status in advance. The hotlines of the community testing centres are available at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/info.
 
     The Government will continue to trace possibly infected persons who had been to the relevant premises, and seriously verify whether they had complied with the testing notices. Any person who fails to comply with the testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.
 
     Relevant officers of different government departments are empowered to perform certain functions under the relevant Regulations under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599), including requesting individuals to provide information and assistance when necessary. Any person who fails to comply with the relevant request commits an offence and would be liable to a fine at level 3 ($10,000). Collection and use of any personal data for conducting COVID-19 tests must meet the requirements under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486). Government departments or testing service providers which handle the relevant information may provide the data to the DH or other relevant departments for anti-epidemic purposes as necessary. The workflow does not involve the provision of any personal data to organisations or persons outside Hong Kong.
 
     The spokesman said, "The Government urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health conditions, or individuals with infection risks (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or contacted confirmed cases), to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons."

     The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has been implemented for the 75th day since February 26, 2021.
 
     So far, about 1 805 000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered for members of the public (please see Annex 1). Among them, about 1 100 400 persons have received their first dose, with about 486 000 persons receiving the Sinovac vaccine and about 614 500 persons receiving the BioNTech vaccine. About 704 600 persons have received their second dose, with about 348 000 persons receiving the Sinovac vaccine and about 356 600 persons receiving the BioNTech vaccine.
 
     In the last 24 hours ending at 8pm today (May 11), about 28 400 persons have received vaccination and about 12 800 new vaccination bookings have been made online, detailed as follows:
 
(i) About 4 100 persons received their first dose of the Sinovac vaccine, including about 1 700 persons vaccinated at Community Vaccination Centres (CVCs) and about 2 500 persons at private doctors and clinics participating in the programme;
 
(ii) about 3 400 persons received their second dose of the Sinovac vaccine, including about 1 500 persons vaccinated at CVCs and about 2 000 persons at private doctors and clinics;
 
(iii) about 9 000 persons received their first dose of the BioNTech vaccine at CVCs, and about 11 800 persons received their second dose of the BioNTech vaccine;
 
(iv) the overall percentage of people who have received the Sinovac vaccine at CVCs is about 95 per cent; while the overall percentage of people who have received the BioNTech vaccine at CVCs is about 97 per cent; and
 
(v) about 3 100 persons have made online bookings for receiving their first and second doses of the Sinovac vaccine, while about 9 600 persons have made online bookings for receiving their first and second doses of the BioNTech vaccine.
 
     In the last 24 hours ending at 0.00am today, there were 11 cases of ambulance transfers to hospitals. Among them, eight persons were discharged, one person was admitted for observation and two persons were discharged against medical advice (please see Annex 2).
 
     As background information, in the last 24 hours ending at 0.00am today, there were 46 cases of stroke or myocardial infarction that required admission to the Intensive Care Unit, Acute Stroke Unit and Cardiac Care Unit of public hospitals. The state of new cases admitted to the wards concerned is provided as a cross reference to enhance fuller public understanding of cases of the kind recorded on vaccine recipients.

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Commerce and Industry visited the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) today (May 11) to better understand the work of HKPC and its latest development.
 
     Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Ms Annie Choi, the Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Dr David Chung, and the Chairman of the HKPC, Mr Willy Lin, Members first received a briefing by the Executive Director of the HKPC, Mr Mohamed Butt, on HKPC's work on promoting re-industrialization in Hong Kong. They also exchanged views on issues of mutual concern. Members then met with manufacturers who were funded by Re-industrialization Funding Scheme under the Innovation and Technology Fund to learn more about the use of smart technologies in developing advanced manufacturing industries.
 
     Members visited the recently opened 5G Future Hall to understand the latest 5G applications and solutions. They observed demonstrations of the relevant research and development applications. Members also exchanged views with representatives from the industry to learn more about how to make use of 5G applications and solutions to promote Hong Kong's development in becoming an international innovation technology hub and a smart city, as well as to explore business opportunities.
 
     In addition, Members observed demonstrations of research and development projects of automotive platforms and application systems, as well as artificial intelligence and robotics applications. Members also visited training facilities of the HKPC Academy and met with students and representatives of partner organizations to understand the work of developing innovation and technology and nurturing local talents.
 
     Members who participated in the visit were the Panel Chairman, Mr Chung Kwok-pan; Panel members Mr Ma Fung-kwok, Dr Junius Ho Kwan-yiu and Mr Chan Chun-ying; and non-Panel member Mr Holden Chow Ho-ding.

          

     Police today (May 11) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Wong Tai Sin.

     Lee Wai-leng, aged 38, went missing after she was last seen at a mall on Lung Poon Street on May 8 noon. Her family made a report to Police on the next day (May 9).

     She is about 1.63metres tall, 80 kilograms in weight and of fat build. She has a round face with yellow complexion and long black hair with a ponytail. She was last seen wearing a blue T-shirt, black trousers, black sneakers and carrying a backpack with floral pattern.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Kowloon East on 3661 0321 or 9020 2746 or email to rmpu-ke-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.