Hong Kong – CE meets Secretary-General of World Meteorological Organization (with photo)
CE meets Secretary-General of World Meteorological Organization (with photo)
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The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Professor Celeste Saulo, today (March 28). Also attending the meeting were the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment), Miss Janice Tse, and the Director of the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), Dr Chan Pak-wai.
Mr Lee congratulated Professor Saulo on her assumption of office as the first female Secretary-General of the WMO in January this year. He welcomed Professor Saulo’s first visit to Hong Kong, noting that she will attend a signing ceremony for an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the HKO and the WMO.
Mr Lee pointed out that with the intensifying change in global climate, extreme weather conditions have become more frequent, and there are practical needs to strengthen early-warning capabilities around the world to more effectively protect people’s lives and properties. The HKO and the WMO first signed an MOU in 2018 in supporting global weather information services. The signing of the updated MOU will further enhance the co-operation between the two sides and contribute to the implementation of the Early Warnings for All initiative of the United Nations.
He said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been maintaining close professional exchanges with the WMO to broaden the international horizons and enrich the professional development of HKO officers. He added that the HKO will continue to support the WMO’s initiatives, including the WMO Voluntary Cooperation Programme, whereby the HKO will set up the Meteorological Training Centre for Belt and Road Countries this year to provide training for meteorological personnel from the Belt and Road regions, and foster regional and international co-operation on meteorology.
SCS meets Huaqiao University delegation (with photos)
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FS meets with political and business leaders at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (with photos/video)
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Accompanied by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, Mr Chan met with a number of financial and economic officials from the Middle East and Central Asia, including Bahrain’s Minister of Finance and National Economy, Mr Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, and Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mr Abdulla Adel Fakhro; the Minister of Finance of Qatar, Mr Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari; and the Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, Mr Alibek Kuantyrov.
At the above bilateral meetings, Mr Chan pointed out that as a link and platform for promoting the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, Hong Kong can make unique contributions in areas such as fostering regional financial connectivity, expanding trade, and fostering cultural exchanges. Noting that countries in the Middle East and Central Asia have been actively promoting economic diversification and green transformation in recent years, Mr Chan welcomed them to make use of Hong Kong’s highly efficient and robust financial market to facilitate the development, promotion and financing of enterprises and projects, and to achieve better development together in a mutually beneficial and complementarity manner.
In addition, Mr Chan and Mr Yau also met with the Minister of Economy and Finance of Italy, Mr Giancarlo Giorgetti, and the Governor of the Central Reserve Bank of Peru, Mr Julio Velarde Flores respectively. They exchanged views on the current global financial environment, geopolitical situation, and green transformation.
During a keynote speech at a luncheon, Mr Chan said that China continues to be open to the world with its economy steadily growing. Embracing international collaboration in technology-driven industries and supply chain, China will continue to create a strong momentum for the development of the world economy. With the unique advantages of “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong is striving to enhance its position as an international financial centre, fast-tracking the development of the international innovation and technology hub, and play the role of a bridge between the Mainland and the world so as to forge win-win co-operation.
In the evening, Mr Chan joined the China Night of the WEF Annual Meeting and delivered a speech at the dinner to introduce how Hong Kong has utilised its role as a connector, bridge and gateway to assist in the economic development of China and Asia.
Mr Chan also received interviews by a number of Hong Kong, Mainland and international media agencies to address issues of concern.
Mr Chan will continue his fourth day of visit to Davos today (January 18, Davos time).
CE meets Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (with photo)
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CE meets Chairman and IAC members of China Investment Corporation (with photo)
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Hong Kong – SCS meets Huaqiao University delegation (with photos)
The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, met with a delegation led by the Secretary of the Party Committee of Huaqiao University, Professor Xu Xipeng, at the Central Government Offices this morning (January 26) to exchange views on strengthening the publicising of information related to civil service recruitment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government to Hong Kong students studying at the university.
Mrs Yeung said that as more and more Hong Kong students opt for the Mainland to further their studies, government departments have stepped up their publicity and recruitment drives on the Mainland targeting Hong Kong students, and have organised recruitment talks to introduce the work of different grades in the HKSAR Government.
At the meeting, the Director of General Grades of the Civil Service Bureau (CSB), Mr Hermes Chan, introduced the CSB’s General Grades Office Recruitment Centre which commenced operation in October last year, and gave an account of the progress on the year-round recruitment for three grades – Clerical Officer, Clerical Assistant and Personal Secretary.
Mrs Yeung visited a number of universities on the Mainland last September, including the Xiamen campus of Huaqiao University. She met and exchanged views with university staff and organised recruitment talks for Hong Kong students to brief them on the different job opportunities provided by the HKSAR Government to young people.Hong Kong – FS meets with political and business leaders at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (with photos/video)
The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, continued to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, yesterday (January 17, Davos time) where he met with political and business leaders from various countries attending the meeting.Hong Kong – CE meets Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (with photo)
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Mr James Marape, at Government House today (October 15). The Acting Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong; and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, also attended the meeting.
Mr Lee welcomed Mr James Marape’s visit to Hong Kong. Noting that Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea have been maintaining a close relationship in business, Mr Lee said despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the merchandise trade between the two places recorded a substantial increase of 34 per cent in the past three years, from US$65 million in 2019 to US$87 million in 2022.
Pointing out that Papua New Guinea was the first Pacific country to sign a memorandum of understanding with the nation for co-operation on the Belt and Road Initiative in 2018, Mr Lee encouraged more Papua New Guinea enterprises to leverage Hong Kong’s institutional strengths, such as the commitment to the rule of law, the free flow of information and capital, a simple and competitive tax system, with a view to seizing opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative.
Mr Lee said he looks forward to continuing to strengthen ties between the two places, and jointly explore opportunities for further co-operation, so as to achieve mutual benefits.Hong Kong – CE meets Chairman and IAC members of China Investment Corporation (with photo)
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (September 19) met with the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of China Investment Corporation (CIC), Mr Peng Chun, and members of the International Advisory Council (IAC) of CIC. The Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong; the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Mr Eddie Yue; and the Acting Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, also joined the meeting.
Mr Lee welcomed CIC to host the CIC Forum in Hong Kong tomorrow (September 20) and wished the Forum a great success. Mr Lee said CIC’s decision to hold the Forum and the annual meeting of the IAC in Hong Kong, which is the first time they will have been held in places outside the Mainland, demonstrates CIC’s recognition of Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre. The theme of this year’s Forum, “Promotion of Global Industrial Cooperation and Sustainable Development through Cross-Border Investment”, aligns with Hong Kong’s advantages as a platform for allocating assets by international investors.
Noting that Hong Kong is the only place in the world where the global advantage and China advantage converge in a single city, Mr Lee said that Hong Kong is the gateway of the Mainland to the world’s financial markets and investors. He added that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages under “one country, two systems”, and strive to deepen mutual access between the capital markets of Hong Kong and the Mainland to facilitate two-way capital flow. The Government will also continue to work closely with financial regulators and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited to develop Hong Kong into a deeper and broader fundraising platform, thereby strengthening Hong Kong’s competitiveness as a premier financial centre while offering more diverse investment choices to investors.Ads
