kakase/hk_gov_press_release huggingface dataset:
CE hosts dinner for Governor of Victoria
12.11.2017

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, hosted a dinner for the visiting Governor of Victoria, Ms Linda Dessau, at Government House this evening (November 12). The Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Design Centre, Professor Eric Yim, were also present. Welcoming the Governor's visit to Hong Kong to attend the 9th World Chinese Economic Summit tomorrow, Mrs Lam said she is very pleased to see her again after their encounters in 2015. Mrs Lam visited Australia in 2015 in the capacity as the Chief Secretary for Administration and was extended warm hospitality by the Governor at the Government House in Victoria. During the Governor's official visit to Hong Kong in the same year, Mrs Lam hosted a lunch for her at the official residence of the Chief Secretary for Administration, and visited PMQ with her. Mrs Lam said that Hong Kong and the State of Victoria have been keen to explore areas for collaboration in design since their last meeting. In particular, the Hong Kong Design Centre signed a memorandum of understanding with the State Government of Victoria in May this year, confirming that Melbourne, the capital of the State of Victoria, as the partner city in the Business of Design Week 2018 and signifying the first time that the flagship design event partners with a city in the southern hemisphere. The event will strengthen cooperation of the business and design sectors between Hong Kong and Melbourne, and promote the designs of Hong Kong and Melbourne. Noting that the State of Victoria will stage an exhibition in the Business of Design Week 2017 to be held next month as part of the preparation for the Business of Design Week 2018, she said she looked forward to the cooperation between Hong Kong and the State of Victoria and believed that it would promote the development of the design trade and other creative industries in the two places, expand the scope for development for youths and boost economic growth. Ends/Sunday, November 12, 2017 Issued at HKT 22:21 NNNN
CE meets Prime Minister of Australia
12.11.2017

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, met the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Malcolm Turnbull, this afternoon (November 12). Mrs Lam who met Mr Turnbull at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting concluded the day before in Da Nang welcomed his visit to Hong Kong, which is the first by a serving Australian Prime Minister in more than 30 years' time. She took the opportunity to thank Mr Turnbull for his government's hospitality in hosting her last visit to Australia two years ago in her then capacity as the Chief Secretary for Administration. She told Mr Turnbull that various opportunities for further collaboration between Hong Kong and Australia were identified during that visit. She said Hong Kong and Australia have all along enjoyed strong economic ties, in which, as of last year, Hong Kong was Australia's fifth largest source of investment, sixth largest trading partner in services and seventh largest export market for goods, and with more than 600 Australian companies operating in Hong Kong. Welcoming the launch of the Free Trade Agreement negotiations between Hong Kong and Australia in May this year, Mrs Lam said she is pleased to note that both sides have been working together proactively with a view to taking the close trade and investment relations to a new height. Noting that Hong Kong is keen to develop creative industries, Mrs Lam expressed the hope that Hong Kong and Australia would strengthen co-operation in the field. In particular, she said that discussions are underway for Melbourne will be our next partner city in the Business of Design Week 2018, which will be an excellent opportunity for promoting Melbourne's and Hong Kong’s design. Emphasising that her government accords high priority to youth development, she thanked the Australian government for launching the Hong Kong/Australia Working Holiday Scheme in 2001, which has since benefited more than 66 000 young people from Hong Kong. She also said she welcomed more co-operation in education with Australia which is one of the most popular destinations for Hong Kong students seeking to study overseas. Mrs Lam also pointed out that the Belt and Road Initiative will bring enormous opportunities for economic growth. As Hong Kong is a major international financial centre that has the experience, expertise and connections to serve as the fundraising and financial management hub for Belt and Road projects, Australian companies will benefit by establishing a foothold in Hong Kong to seize the business opportunities. Ends/Sunday, November 12, 2017 Issued at HKT 15:48 NNNN
CE discusses with APEC leaders on regional economic cooperation
11.11.2017

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, had in-depth discussions with the economic leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2017 Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) in Da Nang, Vietnam, yesterday (November 11) on ways to consolidate and sustain regional and global economic growth, deal with challenges brought by technology and digital economy, and ensure inclusive development. Noting that Hong Kong is a staunch supporter of free trade and will continue to embrace a free and open policy, Mrs Lam said Hong Kong will at the same time proactively implement effective policy initiatives to ensure that people from all walks of life can share the benefits of free trade and economic growth, improve people's standard of living as well as help the under-privileged. She said that Hong Kong holds the belief that a strong and rule-based multilateral trading system is a cornerstone of the global economy. Pointing out that the Eleventh World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference will soon be convened, for which Hong Kong will serve as one of the Vice Chairs, she said the meeting will be crucial to promote free trade globally and hoped that all the members will strive to reach a consensus. She said that following the imminent signing of the Hong Kong-Association of Southeast Asian Nations Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and a related Investment Agreement, Hong Kong will have signed FTAs with half of the APEC members. She expressed the hope that members will, through regional cooperation, strive to promote the eventual realisation of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific to strengthen ties with the APEC economies. Mrs Lam noted that Hong Kong enjoys unique advantages under "One Country, Two Systems". Coupled with the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Agreement, the city is an ideal platform for overseas enterprises to tap the vast Mainland market. In particular, Hong Kong has a well-developed services sector and the standard of services is on the rise through sharing of knowledge and experience among different trades in the sector. Hong Kong is capable of providing the best services to overseas enterprises. During a break at the meeting, she met the President of Korea, Mr Moon Jae-in and expressed the hope that the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Seoul could be set up as soon as possible to strengthen cooperation between Hong Kong and Korea on trade, investment and other areas. Mrs Lam will return to Hong Kong around noon today (November 12). Ends/Sunday, November 12, 2017 Issued at HKT 1:12 NNNN
CE meets Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of Slovenia
8.11.2017

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, met the visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia Mr Dejan Židan at the Chief Executive's Office this afternoon (November 8). Welcoming Mr Židan on his visit for the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair, Mrs Lam noted that Hong Kong and Slovenia have already established co-operation in wine-related businesses. She said that the Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation in Wine-related Businesses signed between the two places in April this year would lay a solid foundation for further collaboration in wine trade and promotion in the future. Mrs Lam added that Hong Kong's status as Asia's wine hub would provide an excellent platform for the Slovenian wine industry to gain access to tens of millions of visitors to Hong Kong as well as to enter the vast Mainland market. Mrs Lam pointed out that the Belt and Road Initiative advocated by China will strengthen ties between Asia and Central and Eastern Europe. Hong Kong’s status as an international hub for finance, commerce, services and logistics, coupled with its unique advantages under "One Country, Two Systems", makes it an ideal gateway for Slovenian companies to expand their business to the Mainland and the rest of Asia. She expressed the hope that Hong Kong and Slovenia could deepen co-operation on all fronts and further promote bilateral ties. Ends/Wednesday, November 8, 2017 Issued at HKT 20:43 NNNN
CE to attend APEC meetings in Vietnam
6.11.2017

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, will leave for Vietnam in the morning on November 9 to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2017 Economic Leaders' Meeting and other related meetings in Da Nang. The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, will accompany the Chief Executive and take part in some of the meetings. The theme of this year's meeting is "Creating New Dynamism, Fostering a Shared Future", and it has four priorities: promoting sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth; deepening regional economic integration; strengthening micro, small and medium enterprises’ competitiveness and innovation in the digital age; and enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture in response to climate change. Before attending the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on November 11, Mrs Lam will participate in a discussion session of the APEC CEO Summit on November 9. On November 10, she will attend another session of the Summit as well as the Women Political Leaders Roundtable, the Dialogue with APEC Business Advisory Council, the Informal Dialogue with ASEAN Leaders and the Gala Dinner hosted by the organiser for participating leaders. While in Vietnam, Mrs Lam will also meet with leaders of various economies. Mrs Lam will return to Hong Kong around noon on November 12. During her absence, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, will be Acting Chief Executive. Ends/Monday, November 6, 2017 Issued at HKT 17:40 NNNN
Transcript of remarks by CE at media session
3.11.2017

Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session after attending the Belt and Road Innovation and Development Forum today (November 3): Reporter: Mrs Lam, how do you feel about the ongoing filibustering in LegCo? And in your speech just now, do you mean that you are going to wait until November 15 before deciding on whether to kick-start the "Three-step Process" to introduce the co-location plan? Chief Executive: Well, at the moment we are very confident and very hopeful that when Legislative Council meets on the 15th of November to continue their discussion on the Government motion on the co-location arrangement that it will be put to vote and hopefully passed, because I have already explained in Cantonese that the Legislative Council President has made two rulings - one is of course he has concluded the debate on the co-location motion itself and was about to invite the officials to speak, and once the officials have spoken, the motion would proceed to voting. The other is regarding the filibustering technique of invoking Rule 88(1) of the Rules of Procedure by one of the non-pro-establishment members; the President has also drawn a line allowing another 30 minutes of discussion. So taking both into account, it is only normal that the debate should come to an end at the seating on the 15th of November, and having considered that in the context of our legislative work, I do feel that we could wait for the motion to be passed on the 15th of November. How do I feel about the filibustering? I feel very sad, very disappointed and very frustrated as many members in society have told me, they are very hopeful about this term of the Hong Kong SAR Government. They really want us to do a lot of things for the people of Hong Kong. And hence in my maiden Policy Address, I have outlined no less than 200 initiatives that we want to pursue. Many of these initiatives will require funding approval by the Legislative Council, or amendments to legislation to be approved by the Legislative Council. But if the Legislative Council is not possible to conduct its normal business, then the chances of our taking forward these efforts will be significantly compromised, and that makes me feel very sad because I’ve just mentioned I have just completed fully the appointment of the politically appointed officials with 12 Under Secretaries and 14 Political Assistants. As a team, we all want to serve the people of Hong Kong, so I make this plea to the non-pro-establishment members of the Legislative Council - please give us a chance to serve the people of Hong Kong. Thank you very much. (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) Ends/Friday, November 3, 2017 Issued at HKT 15:12 NNNN
Appointment of Political Assistants
3.11.2017

The Chief Executive's Office announced today (November 3) that the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, has, on the recommendations of the Appointment Committee, appointed two Political Assistants of the fifth term of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. The newly appointed Political Assistants are the Political Assistant to the Financial Secretary, Ms Ho Chui-ping, and the Political Assistant to the Secretary for Food and Health, Mr Kelvin Cheng Sau-kong. Both of them will assume office on November 6. "I have appointed all 12 Under Secretaries and 14 Political Assistants in this term of Government. Passionate, capable, committed and willing to serve the community, they will assist the Secretaries of Department and Directors of Bureau to liaise extensively with various sectors of the community, strengthen communication between the Government and the legislature, gauge views from different channels and explain government policies and measures. I will lead my team of politically appointed officials to pursue concrete results for the benefit of the community with determination, boldness in innovation and a conscientious effort to address the needs of the people. Together, we will build an even better Hong Kong," Mrs Lam said. Following are biographical notes on the new appointees: Ms Ho Chui-ping ------------------ Aged 43. Before joining the Government, Ms Ho was Deputy Director of News and Public Affairs of Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Co. Ltd. She was previously the Chairperson of the Hong Kong News Executives' Association. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science degree in Communication from the Hong Kong Baptist University. Mr Kelvin Cheng Sau-kong ----------------------------- Aged 38. Mr Cheng works in the Hospital Authority as Manager in the Service Transformation Department before joining the Government, with responsibility for the planning and implementation of clinical public-private partnership programmes. He holds a Bachelor of Nursing degree and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Hong Kong. Ends/Friday, November 3, 2017 Issued at HKT 9:41 NNNN
EDB holds Mainland-Hong Kong Life Planning Education Symposium
2.11.2017

The Education Bureau (EDB) is hosting the Mainland-Hong Kong Life Planning Education Symposium today and tomorrow (November 2 and 3) to share the outcomes of Hong Kong's life planning education and foster professional exchanges with counterparts in the neighbouring areas. The Symposium is one of the events to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The Chief Executive of the HKSAR, Mrs Carrie Lam, officiated at the opening ceremony of the Symposium this morning. Other officiating guests included the Director General of the Education, Science and Technology Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Mr Li Lu; the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung; and the Permanent Secretary for Education, Mrs Ingrid Yeung. The EDB has endeavoured to promote life planning education and to establish a culture in which different sectors of society support young people in life planning, with an aim of creating a wider space for their further development. In recent years, various business entities, professional bodies and non-governmental organisations have worked in close partnership with the EDB and provided a wide range of career exploration activities for students through the Business-School Partnership Programme. In the 2016/17 school year, more than 270 business partners joined the Programme and organised over 1 500 activities, benefiting some 260 000 students. The Symposium is an opportunity to share the valuable experience and fruitful outcomes. The Dean of Education of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Alvin Leung; Honorary Senior Lecturer of the University of Queensland Dr Mary McMahon; and the Director of the Business, Economic and Public Policy Research Centre of Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Dr Lee Shu-kam, have been invited as the keynote speakers of the Symposium. A number of sharing sessions and visits have also been arranged for these two consecutive days. Around 1 000 local and Mainland education practitioners have enrolled for the event. Ends/Thursday, November 2, 2017 Issued at HKT 12:15 NNNN
Transcript of remarks by CE at media session
26.10.2017

Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session after attending the Master Insight Forum this morning (October 26): Reporter: Mrs Lam, you are basically denouncing the pro-democracy camp for filibustering, but they are saying that your Government, your administration, is disrespectful to LegCo by introducing that non-binding motion and now you are saying that you're going to, parallel, you might also introduce, go on with the process of introducing, the co-location plan. Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of your plans to introduce that at LegCo? Chief Executive: No. First of all, I have to challenge what you said, that introducing a non-binding motion on the subject of co-location is disrespectful of Legislative Council. So you have premised your question on the wrong basis. This is a true reflection of respect for the Legislative Council because, since we announced the co-location proposal in late July, there have been three months of public discussion, so by proposing a non-binding government motion we are providing an opportunity for members of the Legislative Council to debate and reflect their views on the co-location proposal before we commence the legislative process. So that act itself is a full respect for members of the Legislative Council. But, if some of the members of the Legislative Council use this process to filibuster, to delay the discussion and the resolution of the government motion, then being a responsible Government, I have no choice but to do what is right for the purpose of this exercise. The purpose of this exercise is the broad community wants us to commission the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail upon its completion. So if that objective could not be met because of objection and disruption by some of the members of the Legislative Council, the Government could not just sit back and watch the situation. We have to respond, and respond in a very responsible way. Reporter: Does that mean that the lawmakers only have two more weeks to discuss and pass that non-binding motion before you will take further action? Chief Executive: I have not said that. I will watch the situation very closely to decide what is the responsible step that the Government should take in order to commission the high-speed rail Hong Kong section on time, that is the third quarter of 2018, to meet the wishes of the community. (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) Ends/Thursday, October 26, 2017 Issued at HKT 13:08 NNNN
Transcript of remarks by CE at media session
25.10.2017

Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session in Tsz Lok Estate, Tsz Wan Shan after visiting Kwun Tong District and Wong Tai Sin District this afternoon (October 25): Reporter: Mrs Lam, it seems rather unusual for the Government to invite, you know, schools to watch a live session of Basic Law Committee Chairman. Is that part of the Government's national education scheme? Chief Executive: Well, everything is unusual if it happens for the first time. So are you suggesting that we should not be innovative to do things in a new way? But, I have said it that I would like the Government, especially the Education Bureau, to step up the education and the promotion of the Basic Law, so this is one of the ways that the Education Bureau has found it useful and appropriate. So there is really no big deal over this arrangement. (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) Ends/Wednesday, October 25, 2017 Issued at HKT 18:37 NNNN