SLW calls on central ministries to deepen co-operation and integrate into national development (with photos)
8.5.2023

The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, today (May 8) started his visit in Beijing. Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau, Mr Sun first paid a courtesy call on the Director General of the Department of Social Assistance, Mr Liu Xitang, and the Deputy Director of the Department of Elderly Care, Mr Li Yongxin, of the Ministry of Civil Affairs this morning and exchanged views on social assistance policies as well as community and residential care services for the elderly. They also explored the way forward for integration into the national development, especially co-operation among cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Mr Sun said that follow-up work is under way to identify possible areas of collaboration in elderly and rehabilitation services to address challenges of the ageing population. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will also tap the Mainland's past experience on targeted poverty alleviation while formulating targeted poverty alleviation projects. In addition, Mr Sun and his delegation called on the Deputy Director General of the Department of Outward Investment and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce, Mr Liu Minqiang, this afternoon to exchange views on the supervision, management and co-operation regarding labour to be imported to Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government will soon launch a special scheme to import care workers for residential care homes (RCHs) from June to allow the importation of care workers for RCHs for the elderly and persons with disabilities on an appropriate scale, with a view to addressing acute manpower shortage and enhancing service quality. Mr Sun expressed his gratitude to the central ministries for their assistance in the implementation of the special scheme. The HKSAR Government will maintain communication and co-ordination with Mainland departments to ensure the rights of imported workers in Hong Kong are protected. The delegation met with the Secretary General of the China Workers' Center for International Exchange of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, Mr Wang Zhoubo, and paid a return visit to the China Disabled Persons' Federation today, subsequent to its visit to Hong Kong in mid-April, and met with its Vice Chairman and Director of the Executive Council, Mr Zhou Changkui. Labour rights issues as well as ways to strengthen support for persons with disabilities to integrate into the community were discussed respectively. Around noon, Mr Sun and his team visited the first elderly meal delivery centre, which commenced service in early April, in Xicheng District of Beijing to take a closer look at nutritional meals for the elderly and how it connects with elderly service stations in the district to cater for the diverse needs of the elderly, including those with dementia and singletons. Mr Sun had a gathering with university students in Beijing this evening. He introduced various enhanced talent admission initiatives in Hong Kong and encouraged them to pursue development in Hong Kong. He will continue his visit in Beijing tomorrow (May 9).