Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (May 14):
 
Reporter: Good morning, Mr Lee. Firstly, did the Government spend any resources to surveil and monitor Hong Kong residents who have moved to the UK (United Kingdom), including former activists? Do you think that the future of the Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs) in other countries could be at risk following similar arrests in the UK, and also Germany? And what will you do to protect Hong Kong’s interests and the ETOs’ abilities to provide services for the city’s economic interests after this incident, and what assistance would the Government render to Mr Yuen, the person who is arrested and involved in this case? Thank you.
 
Chief Executive: The Chinese Embassy in the UK has made a statement about this matter. The Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) Government has also issued a statement on this matter. The Chinese side firmly rejects and strongly condemns the UK’s fabrication in the so-called case, and its unwarranted accusation against the Hong Kong SAR Government. That is the statement made by the Chinese Embassy in the UK. The Chinese Embassy in the UK has made serious representations to the UK side on this matter. The Hong Kong Government has demanded the UK Government to provide full information of this matter. We are waiting for their reply. I must emphasise that for the ETO in London, its duties are to maintain close liaison with interlocutors in the local government, business, think tanks in various sectors, with a view to enriching bilateral ties in different areas, such as trade, investment, arts and culture, enhancing local people and enterprises’ knowledge of Hong Kong’s unique strengths, and promoting the economic and trade interests of Hong Kong. We have seriously demanded the UK side to fairly handle the matter, effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office’s Office Manager who was alleged to be involved, and ensure that the normal work of the ETO is not affected. Any attempt to make unwarranted allegation against the Hong Kong SAR Government is unacceptable.
 
     The ETOs will, of course, pursue their duties full-heartedly and legitimately. I have explained the purpose of setting up these offices. The promotion of trade as a result of these ETOs means a lot to Hong Kong and means a lot to different places. And I think the ETOs, in the different places where they are set up, will continue to pursue their duties faithfully and proudly because it is a right thing to do for the benefit of different people. For example, the ETOs in the US (United States) are promoting trade, and the US is enjoying a trade surplus, which amounts to over US$200 billion over (the past) 10 years. So any attempt to interfere with the work of the ETOs in different places will be against free trade and free economy, and will be harming the economy of the countries that try to do bad things to the operation of the ETOs. We will, of course, do our best to protect the rightful interest and the rights that they enjoy as a result of legitimate officials working for the Hong Kong Government, and we’ll urge all governments to respect the rightful duty of our ETOs in their economies.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, at a media session after attending a radio programme today (May 11):

Reporter: You said that it’s difficult for some owners’ corporations to help tenants to reach consensus, for example, like the renovation of some old buildings. So there’s scheme like the fire safety direct support services. How effective can this improve the situation? And do you think the authority should take the initiative and reach out to some of these old buildings?

Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs: In fact, the Home Affairs Department has been actively assisting and helping the owners’ corporations (OCs) reach consensus among their tenants to carry out necessary repair works to maintain their buildings, to make sure that they would observe all the buildings’ safety and fire safety requirements.

     As you said, we have been launching various programmes in helping the OCs carry out various repair works, and help them gather the owners together to form the OCs, and to hold the annual general meetings or the EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting), to reach consensus to carry out those large-scale construction works to make sure that the buildings are in good standard.

     We will carry out and continue to implement necessary and district-based measures, to help those owners to form OCs, and to help them reach out to other owners, and to give them necessary assistance, as to how to apply for various schemes under different Government departments, so that they can carry out those construction works on time.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, at a media session after attending the opening of the Global Talent Summit · Hong Kong organised by Hong Kong Talent Engage this morning (May 7):

Reporter: What kind of specialties or industries are the 120 000 people under the various talent admission schemes from? How many of them are from the Mainland? How would the Government further improve Hong Kong’s competitiveness to attract talent?

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: Over the past one and a half years, various talent admission schemes have attracted around 120 000 talents who have already arrived here in Hong Kong. In terms of visas approved, it is 180 000. Of these, 120 000 talents have already arrived. More than 50 000 came to Hong Kong under the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS). We have just conducted a first-round survey, asking questions and getting information from people coming to Hong Kong under the TTPS. Around one-third are engaged in the finance industry, around 18 per cent in innovation and the information technology industry. Again, around 17 per cent are engaged in commerce. Their average salaries for those coming to Hong Kong under the TTPS is around $50,000. That’s a lot more than the median pay of Hong Kong wage earners. About a quarter are earning more than $100,000 a month and about 10 per cent are earning more than $200,000 a month.

     We have achieved quite a lot in the past one and a half years. We will keep on our good effort. We want to make use of this very good start to project Hong Kong and make sure that Hong Kong remains the talent hub in this part of the world. We are going to make good use of the various schemes to attract talent to Hong Kong to help grow our economy and drive the very growth of Hong Kong in various areas.

Reporter: How would the Government attract talent from, as you said, Southeast Asia and Europe other than from the Mainland?

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: The first thing we have to do is to increase their awareness. We have a lot of information available online, but we also believe it is important for us to go there to conduct a lot of face-to-face meetings and also sessions, so that we can disseminate all the information about Hong Kong to them. We are very sure that once we have let them know all the growth prospects and all the very exciting opportunities here in Hong Kong, a lot of talent in Southeast Asia as well as Europe will be thinking about Hong Kong and they will really give Hong Kong a good shot. Thank you very much.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, at a media session after attending a radio programme to elaborate on enhancing the review mechanism of the Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) this morning (May 4):

Reporter: You said the new way to decide the minimum wage would not reduce the wage. How do you see some in the business sector worried that the new change would actually make more burden on employers? How many workers will be benefitted from the new change?

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: The improved mechanism just approved by the Chief Executive in Council consists of two parts. The first part is that we are going to review the SMW on an annual basis. In order to do that, the Minimum Wage Commission recommended and we agreed that we have to adopt a formula-based approach. With the formula-based approach, that will enable the Commission, also the Government, to adjust the SMW on a yearly basis. If you look at the composition of the formula, it has taken into account, on the one hand, the need to protect those earning the SMW that their wage is being protected; and also at the same time to ensure that the formula is affordable and acceptable to the business sector. It has already struck a balance between different needs and demands. So, we believe it shouldn’t affect the overall competitiveness of our business sector and it should be affordable to them. Right now, around 0.6 per cent of our workforce are receiving the SMW and that translates into about 17 000.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     ​Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on fatal work accident in Sha Tin at a media session after officiating at the opening ceremony of Come Phil Festival this afternoon (April 28):

Reporter: Mr Sun, this is on industrial accidents. On the safety concerns of industrial accidents, could you have a few brief comments on that?

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: We are looking into the accident in Sha Tin involving a confined space inside a sewer. Following the investigation, we will make sure we follow up strictly in accordance with legal provisions. Also, just like before, we are going to step up publicity and education efforts, to make sure that industrial safety is the first priority, not just to employers, but also to employees. We are going to take it forward through a multi-pronged approach. Thank you very much.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)