kakase/hk_gov_press_release huggingface dataset:
SCED attends 6th ASEAN Economic Ministers - Hong Kong, China Consultation (with photos)
17.9.2022

The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, and the Minister of Commerce of Cambodia, Mr Pan Sorasak, co-chaired the 6th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Ministers - Hong Kong, China Consultation in Siem Reap, Cambodia, today (September 17) to discuss issues relating to the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement and the Investment Agreement between Hong Kong and ASEAN. "The conclusion of the two Agreements is a strategic move in unlocking huge economic potential and injecting new impetus for our long-term and sustainable trade and economic development," Mr Yau said at the meeting. He noted, "Notwithstanding the pandemic, the continued robust growth of bilateral trade between Hong Kong and ASEAN cannot be a better testament to the solid foundation that we have built over the years. In the first half of 2022, bilateral trade in goods increased by 12.1 per cent year-on-year to reach US$84 billion." ASEAN is Hong Kong's second largest partner in trade in goods and third largest partner in trade in services. Mr Yau stressed the strong ties between ASEAN and Hong Kong, and looked forward to establishing closer partnership and even stronger bonds in regional co-operation. Mr Yau also appealed for ASEAN member states' continued support for Hong Kong's early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). ASEAN member states welcomed Hong Kong's request and readiness for the launch of substantive accession discussions between RCEP Members and Hong Kong. On the sidelines of the meeting, Mr Yau met with ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Mr Satvinder Singh to update him on Hong Kong's preparatory work in seeking early accession to RCEP. He also held bilateral meetings with the Minister of Commerce of Cambodia, Mr Pan Sorasak, and the Vice Minister of Trade of Indonesia, Dr Jerry Sambuaga, to exchange views on issues of mutual interest. Mr Yau paid a courtesy call on the Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia, Mr Wang Wentian, and met with the Chairman of the Constitutional Council of Cambodia, Mr Ek Sam Ol, and representatives from local Hong Kong Business Association in Phnom Penh yesterday (September 16) to update them on Hong Kong's latest development. He also had a bilateral meeting with the Vice Minister for Commerce of Thailand, Dr Sansern Samalapa, before attending the gala dinner of the ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting last evening. Mr Yau will attend a luncheon to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and visit Hong Kong enterprises in Phnom Penh tomorrow (September 18) before returning to Hong Kong.
SCED to attend ASEAN Economic Ministers - Hong Kong, China Consultation meeting in Cambodia
14.9.2022

The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, will depart for Cambodia tomorrow (September 15) to attend the 6th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Ministers - Hong Kong, China (HKC) Consultation meeting to be held on September 17. Mr Yau and the participating economic ministers of ASEAN member states (AMS) will discuss the progress of the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement and the related Investment Agreement between ASEAN and Hong Kong. On the sidelines of the meeting, he will hold bilateral meetings with various AMS economic ministers to exchange views on regional co-operation and issues of mutual interest. During his stay in Cambodia, he will also attend a luncheon to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and visit Hong Kong enterprises to get a better understanding of their development. Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong in the evening on September 18. The Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, will be the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development during Mr Yau's absence.
SCED expresses sorrow over passing of Mr Kenneth Fang Hung
30.8.2022

The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, today (August 30) expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Mr Kenneth Fang Hung. Mr Yau said, "Mr Fang was a distinguished and well respected industrialist. He made significant contributions to the development of the textiles and clothing sector as well as the improvement in productivity in industries in Hong Kong. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Mr Fang for his contributions to society, and extend my deepest condolences to his family."
SCED tests preliminarily positive for COVID-19
26.8.2022

The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) said today (August 26) that the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, has tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19. He is undergoing isolation in accordance with the guidelines of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health. Mr Yau last went to work yesterday (August 25). He wore masks and followed relevant disease prevention measures at work, including conducting rapid antigen tests daily. He has no recent travel history. The Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, and the Political Assistant to the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Bruce Lee, have been identified as close contacts after an assessment conducted by the CHP of the Department of Health. They are undergoing home quarantine in accordance with the guidelines of the CHP. They have taken COVID-19 rapid antigen tests daily with negative test results obtained. They also tested negative after conducting a COVID-19 rapid antigen test today. The CEDB will conduct thorough cleaning and disinfection at the relevant offices and arranged for relevant staff members to undergo COVID-19 tests in accordance with the advice from the CHP of the Department of Health.
Transcript of remarks by SCED at media session
20.8.2022

Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, at a media session after attending radio programmes this morning (August 20): Reporter: Will there be quarantine-free arrangement by the Government because &hellip;. (Inaudible) Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development: Thank you for your question. The new quarantine arrangement started from last Friday. It will take a bit of time to understand the situation before we can consider any further arrangement in future. The number of cases went up yesterday from some 5 000 to 6 000. So we need to be very careful about the development, especially when it comes to winter, the flu together with the pandemic could be a consideration before we make any further changes. (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Singapore ETO hosts gala dinner to celebrate 25th anniversary of establishment of HKSAR (with photos)
3.8.2022

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore (Singapore ETO) hosted a gala dinner in Singapore today (August 3) with over 300 guests attending the event. Addressing the gala dinner in a virtual keynote speech, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, highlighted that Hong Kong has embarked on an amazing journey over the past quarter century. With the unprecedented principle of "one country, two systems" and strong support by the Central Government, Hong Kong has made impressive achievements on multiple fronts. It has been recognised as the world's freest economy, the world's number three financial centre, the fifth-most competitive economy internationally, the world's largest offshore Renminbi business hub, while holding the world's number one ranking in terms of air cargo throughput. He said that although Hong Kong had encountered various challenges over the past 25 years, it has succeeded to overcome each and every hurdle, and has reached new heights. Hong Kong is blessed with immense opportunities, underpinned by the National 14th Five-Year Plan and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Mr Yau added that Hong Kong and Singapore have long enjoyed good relations, with Singapore becoming Hong Kong's fourth-largest trading partner. There is ample room for further co-operation across a wide range of areas including trade and investment, financial services, education, culture, and innovation and technology. Guests attending the gala dinner included the Minister for Health of Singapore, Mr Ong Ye Kung, the Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, Ms Sun Haiyan, and representatives from a wide spectrum of sectors including political and business circles, media and academia, as well as government representatives. The Singapore ETO's longstanding contacts in aviation, culture and shipping sectors, and the Hong Kong communities currently staying in Singapore also attended. To share with guests a unique taste of Hong Kong's cuisine, Hong Kong-style milk tea was served at the venue. A group of Hong Kong and Singapore musicians performed at the gala dinner to showcase a successful cultural collaboration of young talents from both places. The gala dinner is one of two dinners hosted by the Singapore ETO under the theme "A New Era &ndash; Stability &bull; Prosperity &bull; Opportunity" to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. The Singapore ETO will host another gala dinner in Vietnam on August 27.
Sydney ETO hosts reception in Auckland to celebrate 25th anniversary of establishment of HKSAR (with photos)
2.8.2022

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney (Sydney ETO) hosted a reception in Auckland, New Zealand, today (August 2) to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Addressing the reception in a virtual speech, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, shared that with the unique advantages of "one country, two systems" and the unwavering support of the Central Government, Hong Kong has grown and prospered as Asia's leading world-class city and will actively integrate into the country's overall development, seizing the immense opportunities under the National 14th Five-Year Plan. "We would consolidate our competitive edge and reinforce Hong Kong's status as an international finance, transportation, trading and legal centre, and strive to fully develop our four emerging strengths - innovation and technology, aviation and intellectual property trading, as well as enhancing our position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange," Mr Yau said. On the long-standing relationship between Hong Kong and New Zealand, Mr Yau noted that New Zealand is the first foreign economy that Hong Kong entered into a free trade agreement with. The total merchandise trade between Hong Kong and New Zealand amounted to NZD2 billion in 2021, representing a growth of 10.7 per cent over 2020 despite the pandemic. Mr Yau added that Hong Kong looks forward to joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement to pursue further economic advancement with its members, including New Zealand. The Director of the Sydney ETO, Miss Trista Lim, said in her welcoming remarks that the theme of the 25th anniversary, "A New Era &ndash; Stability &bull; Prosperity &bull; Opportunity", captures Hong Kong's exemplary achievements and the strong confidence in a promising future, underpinned by the principle of "one country, two systems". Miss Lim looks forward to telling more good stories of Hong Kong in the years to come. "There will be many more exciting stories ahead of us as we continue to leverage our unique strengths, maintain an international outlook and connect ever more closely with our motherland," Miss Lim added. The reception was the major event of the Sydney ETO in New Zealand to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. Over 130 guests from various sectors including political and business circles, media, academic and community groups as well as government representatives attended the reception. Among them were the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Niue, Dr Wang Xiaolong, and the Consul-General of the People's Republic of China in Auckland, Mr Ruan Ping. To showcase Hong Kong's popular culture, a singing performance was staged at the reception. For details on other celebration events of the Sydney ETO, please visit www.hketosydney.gov.hk/eng/25A/celebrationevents.html .
SCED visits Trade and Industry Department and Invest Hong Kong (with photos)
8.7.2022

The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, visited the Trade and Industry Department (TID) and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) to get updates on their work in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and attracting foreign direct investment respectively. Accompanied by the Acting Director-General of Trade and Industry, Mr Francis Ho, Mr Yau visited the TID's Integrated Customer Service Centre (ICSC) today (July 8). The ICSC commenced operation in May this year, providing one-stop enquiry, licensing and registration services. He then visited the Support and Consultation Centre for Small and Medium Enterprises and was briefed on the department's initiatives in supporting SMEs, in particular the online support services during the pandemic. Mr Yau also met with the TID's directorate staff to learn about the department's major initiatives in facilitating the development of trade and industry, enhancing relations with trading partners and supporting SMEs, including various funding schemes such as the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales and the SME Export Marketing Fund. Noting that SMEs are the backbone of Hong Kong's economy, Mr Yau said it is crucial to foster a favourable business environment and assist enterprises in upgrading and restructuring operations and promoting sales. He encouraged TID colleagues to stay committed to supporting SMEs in enhancing their overall competitiveness and assisting the industry in planning business strategies in the Mainland and overseas to open up bigger markets. Mr Yau also visited InvestHK earlier and was briefed by the Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Stephen Phillips, on the latest work in attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas and Mainland companies to set up or expand in Hong Kong. InvestHK will step up its efforts in promoting Hong Kong's business environment and opportunities overseas to showcase the up-to-date and real situation of Hong Kong, with a view to attracting more foreign investment and assisting overseas companies in making good use of Hong Kong as a major platform connecting the Mainland. Mr Yau said it is vital to tell a good Hong Kong story to the international business community on Hong Kong's unique advantages under the full support of the Central Government and "one country, two systems", as well as the abundant opportunities brought about by the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development and the Belt and Road Initiative.
SCED pays home visits under Celebrations for All project in Central and Western District (with photos/video)
21.6.2022

The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, paid home visits under the Celebrations for All project in Central and Western District today (June 21). He visited a number of elderly and grass-roots families to learn about their daily needs, promoting a caring and inclusive culture. Accompanied by the District Officer (Central and Western), Mr David Leung, together with representatives from district and volunteer groups, Mr Yau visited a single elderly person, an elderly doubleton household, a family of new arrivals from the Mainland and an ethnic minority family in Sai Ying Pun. He learnt about their daily lives and distributed gift packs to convey blessings to them on behalf of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Mr Yau said he hoped to express community support and care for the less-privileged families in the district through visiting and distributing gifts to them, and spread the joy of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. He also thanked the participating non-governmental organisations and volunteer groups for extending warm greetings to grass-roots families in the district. The Celebrations for All project is one of the major events to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. Co-ordinated by the Home Affairs Department, various kinds of activities are being held together with non-governmental organisations and local groups in 18 districts to show care for the less privileged.
Hong Kong and UAE organise joint webinar to enhance collaboration (with photos)
24.5.2022

The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) jointly organised a webinar titled "Hong Kong-UAE Partnership: Immense Opportunities" today (May 24) to explore collaboration opportunities in such fields as trade, investment and professional services. The webinar attracted some 400 sign-ups. The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, addressed the opening session, followed by responding remarks by the Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economy of the UAE, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. Mr Yau underlined Hong Kong's close economic and trade partnership with the UAE, noting that the UAE is Hong Kong's largest trading partner in the Middle East. Following the signing of the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement in June 2019 and the formal opening of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai in October 2021, the mutual collaboration between the two places has reached new heights. Mr Yau encouraged enterprises of the UAE and member states of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf to leverage Hong Kong's role as a two-way connector to capitalise on the opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative. Businesses can also make use of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement as well as the Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as springboards to tap into these markets, in particular the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In addition to trade collaboration, Mr Yau said that there was plenty of room for enhanced co-operation in the area of professional services. He highlighted the benefits that Hong Kong's professional services could bring to the UAE's infrastructure and investment projects. The webinar featured a panel discussion session moderated by the Commissioner for Belt and Road, Mr Rex Chang, which centred around opportunities for collaboration in the post-COVID time. Panelists from both places shared their insights on how the two places could join hands to enhance collaboration and seize the immense opportunities in trade, investment, professional services, as well as innovation and technology. The panelists included the Co-convenor of the Belt and Road Working Group of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, Mr Nicholas Ho; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Law Foundation, Mr Larry Kwok; Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council Dr Patrick Lau; the Chief Executive Officer of the Dubai Investment Development Agency, Mr Fahad Al Gergawi; and the Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Abdullah Sultan Al Owais. The webinar was concluded by the Acting Consul-General of the UAE in Hong Kong, Sheikh Saoud Al Mualla. The webinar today was the first government-to-government webinar that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has organised jointly with a trading partner in the Middle East, and the seventh one since the webinar series commenced in mid-2020.
SCED highlights importance of regional economic integration at APEC ministerial meeting (with photos)
22.5.2022

The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, stressed the importance of international cooperation and regional integration for economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic at a discussion session entitled "Living in the COVID-19 and beyond" at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand today (May 22). Mr Yau said that two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the global economy is still grappling with lots of uncertainties and challenges. In these trying times, international cooperation is more important than ever. As APEC policy makers, taking steps to reconnect the Asia-Pacific region is certainly the common priority. He observed that deepening regional economic integration is the foundation for a resilient and prosperous future. Being a staunch supporter of free trade, Hong Kong strongly believes that free and open trade and investment play a significant role in reconnecting the region, and is keen and ready to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnrship to contribute a part to the building of the wider Free Trade Area of Asia-Pacific. Mr Yau further highlighted the potentials of digital technology to reconnect the region in all dimensions and serve as an instrument to long-term growth and a full-fledged economic recovery. He mentioned Hong Kong's plan to set up a Digital Economy Development Committee to accelerate the progress of digital economy, and called on member economies to leverage digital technology to reduce trade costs, facilitate investment and resume cross-border travel. Mr Yau also urged members to consider incremental steps forward to address new and emerging environmental goods and further the discussions around environmental services, remarking APEC's role as a pioneer in stimulating trade collaboration to pursue sustainability objectives. On the sidelines of the meeting, Mr Yau met with the Vice Minister of Foreign Trade of Peru, Ms Ana Cecilia Gervasi. Both sides agreed to initiate exploratory talks on a possible bilateral Free Trade Agreement. He also met with the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, Mr Tran Quoc Khanh, to exchange views on issues of mutual concerns. Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong this evening.