kakase/hk_gov_press_release huggingface dataset:
Appointments of new members to Independent Police Complaints Council
4.9.2019

The Government today (September 4) announced the appointments of Mr Paul Lam Ting-kwok, SC, and Mrs Helen Yu Lai Ching-ping as new members to the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) for a term of two years with effect from September 4, 2019. The appointments are made by the Chief Executive according to section 5 of the IPCC Ordinance (Cap. 604). The appointment notice will be published in the Government Gazette. "We are most grateful for the invaluable contributions of the IPCC in ensuring the effective operation of the two-tier police complaints handling system. We hope that adding new members to the IPCC could assist the Council in performing its functions," a Government spokesman said. The IPCC, established under the IPCC Ordinance, is an independent statutory body responsible for monitoring and reviewing the investigation of complaints against members of the Police Force. The IPCC Ordinance provides a statutory basis for the IPCC's role and power and the two-tier police complaints handling system. It also imposes a statutory duty on the Police to comply with the Council's requirements. Following the current appointments, the membership of the IPCC will be expanded from 27 to 29 members. Ends/Wednesday, September 4, 2019 Issued at HKT 18:28 NNNN
CE to attend 2019 Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Co-operation Chief Executive Joint Conference in Nanning
4.9.2019

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, will leave for Nanning, Guangxi Province, tomorrow afternoon (September 5) to attend the 2019 Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Co-operation Chief Executive Joint Conference to be held the next day. The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will join the visit. Mrs Lam will return to Hong Kong in the evening on September 6. During her absence, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, will be the Acting Chief Executive. Ends/Wednesday, September 4, 2019 Issued at HKT 12:57 NNNN
Seventh meeting of Chief Executive&apos;s Council of Advisers on Innovation and Strategic Development held
3.9.2019

The Chief Executive's Council of Advisers on Innovation and Strategic Development ("the Council") held its seventh meeting today (September 3) to exchange views on the current situation of Hong Kong. Members also gave their views on the broad directions of the 2019 Policy Address. At the meeting, members were briefed on the recent performance and near-term outlook of the Hong Kong economy. Members noted that the economic conditions in the first half of 2019 were the weakest since the recession in 2009. The real Gross Domestic Product growth forecast for 2019 was revised downwards to 0 per cent to 1 per cent. With the escalating China-United States (US) trade tensions, softened global economic growth and weak local private consumption and investment, the risk of the Hong Kong economy entering a recession had increased notably. In view of the gloomy economic outlook and the negative impact of the recent social incidents, Members deliberated on measures to safeguard the stability of the Hong Kong economy. Members also gave views and suggestions on the focuses of the 2019 Policy Address. They generally felt that, to address the challenges faced by Hong Kong, bold policies and effective measures should be taken forward to support the economy, improve people's livelihood, and rebuild Hong Kong’s international image. 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. Ends/Tuesday, September 3, 2019 Issued at HKT 23:30 NNNN
Transcript of remarks by CE at media session before ExCo meeting
3.9.2019

Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting this morning (September 3): Reporter: Chief Executive – can you just tell us why you told the business sector that you don’t have a choice to quit? Did you ever try to resign and got rejected by Beijing? If not, why did you say you don’t have a choice? And my second question concerning the Reuters report, because there are now some rumours and allegations that it’s you or someone from your Government that leaked all these details to the media on purpose in a bid to try to sway public opinions or even shift the blame to Beijing, can you just clarify whether it’s something that you are trying to achieve? Chief Executive: First of all, in very clear and strong terms, I have to refute the second point. I was, and am still, very disappointed that my remarks in a totally private, exclusive session, a lunch actually, which clearly is subject to Chatham House Rules, had been recorded and then passed to the media. I think this is quite unacceptable. To further suggest or allege that myself or the Government have any role to play in this thing is absolutely unfounded. That point has to be made extremely clear. On the first point about resignation, I said on several occasions previously and also reaffirmed by my colleagues in the Chief Executive’s Office in response to media enquiry that throughout this period - that is from the very beginning till now - I have never, I have never tendered a resignation to the Central People’s Government. I have not even contemplated to discuss a resignation with the Central People’s Government. The choice of not resigning is my own choice. If you want to understand, in a private session I just attempted to explain that as an individual, given the very difficult circumstances, it might have been an easy choice to leave. But I told myself repeatedly in the last three months that I and my team should stay on to help Hong Kong, to help Hong Kong in a very difficult situation and to serve the people of Hong Kong. That remains my position. I know it is not going to be an easy path and that’s why I said that I have not given myself the choice to take an easier path – and that is to leave. I’d rather stay on and walk this path together with my team and with the people of Hong Kong. Reporter: Mrs Lam, why won’t China let you resign? The audio recording, whether it was meant to be public or not, it was made. They were your words. They were your remarks. You said if you had a choice you would quit. So why won’t China let you resign? Chief Executive: The simple and straight answer to your question is, I have never tendered any resignation to the Central People’s Government, so your question does not arise. I have never tendered any resignation. (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) Ends/Tuesday, September 3, 2019 Issued at HKT 15:10 NNNN
Government announces appointment of Panel Judge under Interception of Communications and Surveillance Ordinance
30.8.2019

The Government announced today (August 30) that the Chief Executive, on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, had appointed Madam Justice Lisa Wong Kwok-ying as a Panel Judge under the Interception of Communications and Surveillance Ordinance (Chapter 589). Under the Ordinance, the Chief Executive shall, on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, appoint three to six eligible judges as Panel Judges to consider applications for authorisations of interception and Type 1 surveillance and for device retrieval warrants. Under the Ordinance, "eligible judge" means a judge of the Court of First Instance. The Chief Executive has appointed Madam Justice Wong to succeed Mr Justice Andrew Chung On-tak, who will retire from the Court of First Instance, as a Panel Judge under the Ordinance for a term of three years commencing September 4, 2019. Madam Justice Wong was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 1988 and was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor in Singapore in 1995. She was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2006. She sat as Temporary Deputy Registrar, High Court, for periods in 2002 and 2003, and served as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013. She was appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court in 2013, and was appointed as Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court in 2017. The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, said, "Mr Justice Andrew Chung On-tak has been serving as a Panel Judge since the inception of the Ordinance in 2006. I am grateful for his dedication and commitment in handling law enforcement agencies' applications for prescribed authorisations under the Ordinance during the past 13 years. I am confident that Madam Justice Lisa Wong Kwok-ying, together with the other two incumbent Panel Judges, Mr Justice Mohan Tarachand Bharwaney and Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, will continue to draw on their expertise and experience to ensure the effective operation of the regulatory regime under the Ordinance." The Ordinance provides a comprehensive statutory framework for regulating the conduct of interception and covert surveillance by law enforcement agencies, and aims to strike a balance between maintaining law and order and protecting the privacy rights of individuals. Ends/Friday, August 30, 2019 Issued at HKT 11:00 NNNN
Response to media enquiries by CE&apos;s Office
28.8.2019

In response to media enquiries today (August 28) on remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a closed-door event on August 26, the Chief Executive's Office said the following: On the suggestion to establish an independent commission of inquiry to look into the Police's law enforcement actions, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government considers that the statutory Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) is in place to handle the complaints against police officers in relation to various large-scale public order events or incidents, as well as to proactively undertake a fact-finding study on the large-scale public order events which took place after June 9. As the related work of the statutory IPCC is under way, the HKSAR Government is of the view that it is inappropriate to set up another independent commission of inquiry for investigation. The stance of the HKSAR Government has all along been that relevant matters should be dealt with by the established mechanism. The Chief Executive's remarks at the closed-door event on August 26 on views of the police officers mentioned in media reports are statements of fact and are not related to the stance of the HKSAR Government. Ends/Wednesday, August 28, 2019 Issued at HKT 21:25 NNNN
CE congratulates Chief Executive (Elect) of Macao SAR
25.8.2019

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (August 25) congratulated Mr Ho Iat-seng on his election as the fifth-term Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). "Mr Ho has been committed to serving Macao and making significant contributions. In addition to his active participation in such areas of social services as education and culture, he has served in a number of important offices since the establishment of the Macao SAR, including as the President of the fifth- and sixth-term of the Legislative Assembly. With Mr Ho's devotion to social services and wealth of experience in public offices, he will certainly lead Macao to scale new heights. "As the country's SARs, both Hong Kong and Macao enjoy the advantages of "One Country, Two Systems". The two places have close ties and have fostered deep bonds between the people. The opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge last year has remarkably shortened the distance between the two cities. Playing important roles in the country's reform and opening up, Hong Kong and Macao as core cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development can complement each other, contributing to the Bay Area and bringing about better life for the people in the two places. I look forward to working closely with Mr Ho in the future to advance together the development of the two places," Mrs Lam said. Ends/Sunday, August 25, 2019 Issued at HKT 18:01 NNNN
Seventy-one students awarded scholarship for excellence
20.8.2019

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (August 20) officiated at the Award Presentation Ceremony 2019 of the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme (HKSES). Seventy-one students were selected as the fifth cohort of awardees. Speaking at the Ceremony, Mrs Lam said that given the resounding success of the previous four cohorts, the HKSES will be regularised from the 2019/20 academic year onwards, making it a permanent feature in the Government's nurturing of young people. She said that she looked to the awardees, the future generation, to drive business, innovation and technology, arts and culture, academic research and other meaningful activities in Hong Kong and beyond, and that she was confident that they will make significant long-term contributions to Hong Kong’s reputation as a highly competitive, diverse and cosmopolitan city. All the awardees received their formal secondary school education in Hong Kong, studying either local or non-local curricula. Among them, 56 will be pursuing undergraduate study and 15 postgraduate study at world-renowned universities. The disciplines that they are going to pursue cover a wide spectrum, ranging from conventional ones such as law, social science, natural science, business management and STEM subjects to disciplines of study that are not available in Hong Kong, such as, history of art and archaeology, information experience design and cinema studies (moving image archiving and preservation). Distribution of the awardees by different disciplines is at Annex. The diverse pool of scholarship recipients reflects the variety and vibrancy of Hong Kong. The contribution of this group of talents to the society after their graduation and homecoming is expected to fuel further and long-term development of Hong Kong in different aspects and facets. Competition for the scholarships was keen and vigorous, with 813 applicants who will commence their undergraduate or postgraduate studies in the 2019/20 academic year vying for the title. The awardees have gone through a highly competitive process and demonstrated excellence in their academic and leadership qualities. As the selection process is still ongoing, some more applicants may be offered the scholarship after today’s ceremony. A list of the awardees as of August 20, 2019 has been uploaded on to the HKSES website ( www.edb.gov.hk/hkses ). The HKSES aims to support local students to pursue studies at world-renowned universities outside Hong Kong with a view to grooming a top cadre of talents with global vision, an international network and world-class education, thereby contributing to enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness as Asia’s world city in a globalised knowledge economy. Key features of the scholarship scheme are available at the HKSES website. Details of the next cohort applications for the HKSES will be announced shortly. Ends/Tuesday, August 20, 2019 Issued at HKT 20:25 NNNN
Transcript of remarks by CE at media session before ExCo meeting
20.8.2019

Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting this morning (August 20): Reporter: Carrie Lam, one quarter of the population of Hong Kong came out in the rain and marched peacefully. How long are you going to continue to ignore the demands that are made of you? It’s been nearly three months now. Chief Executive: I have just explained and elaborated on two important areas of work that we are doing. One is an important fact-finding study in addition to a very robust system to investigate and look at the complaints against police over this prolonged period of confrontation and violence. The other, a more rare arrangement, is for the IPCC, which is statutory and independent, to create a fact-finding study into the causes and the facts of these incidents. I hope that this is a very responsible response to the aspirations for better understanding of what has taken place in Hong Kong. And most important of all, it is not just fact finding to provide the sequence of facts. It also will provide the Government with recommendations on how to move forward and also to avoid the recurrence of similar incidents. The second area of work that I have announced, which will give us much better basis to address some anxieties and differences in society, is we will start immediately a platform for dialogue with people from all walks of life. This is something that we want to do in a very sincere and humble manner. I and my principal officials are committed to listen to what the people have to tell us, and we want to reach out to the community as soon as possible. Reporter: Mrs Lam, numerous Hong Kong companies, like Cathay, have been forced by Beijing and state media to act against employees and actively publish pro-government statements. Is Hong Kong still the world’s freest economy? How can businesses possibly invest with such risk of interference in their operations? And secondly, you’ve repeated it’s dead, you’ve said it won’t be brought back, please can you give a clear reason as to why the extradition bill cannot be simply withdrawn from the legislature? Precisely why not? Chief Executive: On the second question I have repeatedly replied on various occasions and I can give you this very clear commitment at the political level that the bill is dead. There is no plan to revive this bill, especially in light of the public concerns. The first point in your two-pronged question, I cannot comment, as the Chief Executive, on the commercial decisions of individual companies. I hope you understand that. But I remain convinced that Hong Kong has her unique advantages. In attracting overseas companies to come to Hong Kong, one of the most important strengths is the rule of law. That’s why we have been doing so much to ensure that the rule of law is being upheld and respected in Hong Kong. (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) Ends/Tuesday, August 20, 2019 Issued at HKT 13:57 NNNN
Terms of non-permanent Hong Kong CFA judges extended
16.8.2019

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary: The Chief Executive has accepted the recommendations of the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal to extend the terms of office of two non-permanent Hong Kong judges of the Court of Final Appeal for a period of three years: (commencing September 1, 2019) The Honourable Mr Justice Frank Stock, GBS (commencing October 21, 2019) The Honourable Mr Justice Patrick Chan Siu-oi, GBM The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance provides for a list of non-permanent Hong Kong judges and a list of judges from other common law jurisdictions. The term of appointment of such judges is three years. That term may be extended for one or more periods of three years by the Chief Executive acting in accordance with the recommendation of the Chief Justice. Ends/Friday, August 16, 2019 Issued at HKT 17:00 NNNN
Appointment of Chairman of Legal Aid Services Council
16.8.2019

The Government announced today (August 16) that the Chief Executive has appointed Dr William Leung Wing-cheung as the Chairman of the Legal Aid Services Council (the Council) for a term of two years with effect from September 1, 2019. "We would like to thank the outgoing Chairman, Dr Eric Li Ka-cheung, for his exemplary leadership and sterling contribution to the work of the Council during his term of service, ensuring quality and efficient legal aid services for the public," a Government spokesman said. Established under the Legal Aid Services Council Ordinance (Cap. 489), the Council is responsible for overseeing the administration of the legal aid services provided by the Legal Aid Department and advising the Chief Executive on legal aid policy. The Council comprises a chairman and members who are not connected with the practice of law, barrister members and solicitor members nominated by the Hong Kong Bar Association and the Law Society of Hong Kong respectively, and the Director of Legal Aid. The membership list is attached at Annex. Ends/Friday, August 16, 2019 Issued at HKT 9:00 NNNN
Re-appointment of Chairman of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Board
13.8.2019

The Government announced today (August 13) that the Chief Executive has re-appointed Mr Henry Tang Ying-yen as the Chairman of the Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) for another term of two years with effect from October 1, 2019. The above appointment will be published in the Government Gazette on August 16, 2019. The WKCDA Ordinance (Cap. 601) provides that the Board is the governing and executive body of the WKCDA. It is responsible for the planning, development, operation and maintenance of the arts and cultural facilities and related facilities in the West Kowloon Cultural District. Ends/Tuesday, August 13, 2019 Issued at HKT 17:13 NNNN
CE to visit Macao
11.8.2019

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, will depart for Macao tomorrow morning (August 12) to attend the opening ceremony of the International Conference on Cultural Mission for the Development and Construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will join the visit. Mrs Lam will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon the same day. Ends/Sunday, August 11, 2019 Issued at HKT 10:18 NNNN
Response to media enquiries by CE&apos;s Office
10.8.2019

In response to media enquiries on the phone call between the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam and the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, Mr Dominic Raab yesterday (August 9), the Chief Executive's Office said the following: At the request of the British Consulate-General Hong Kong, Mrs Lam spoke with the new Foreign Secretary of the UK, Mr Raab over the phone yesterday morning (Hong Kong time). During the 20-odd minutes of conversation, Mrs Lam stressed that since Hong Kong's return to the Motherland, "One Country, Two Systems" has been successfully implemented in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and that the rule of law has been the core value of the city. Mrs Lam introduced to Mr Raab the background and objectives of the legislative amendment exercise and emphasised that the legislative amendment exercise was put to a complete stop two months ago. She said that while the HKSAR Government respects the diverse views held by members of the public on various issues as well as the freedoms of speech and assembly, it will not let violence and illegal behaviours disrupt public order. She also mentioned to Mr Raab the work being done by the Independent Police Complaints Council in accordance with its statutory functions. Mrs Lam pointed out at the end that she and the relevant policy bureaux have been attaching great importance to collaboration between Hong Kong and the UK on areas including trade, economic affairs and culture in the past two years and expressed the hope that bilateral relations can be further strengthened. Ends/Saturday, August 10, 2019 Issued at HKT 16:44 NNNN