Hong Kong Customs prepares for Labour Day Golden Week of Mainland

Get ready for labour day golden week in hong kong: customs gears up for mainland tourists

Hong Kong Customs has drawn up a series of measures to prepare for the arrival of Mainland visitors during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland to ensure smooth passenger and vehicular flows at each control point. Customs has also stepped up patrols at popular shopping spots in various districts and distributed pamphlets at land boundary control points and popular shopping spots, with a view to safeguarding and promotingrights of local consumers and visitors, and creating a good travel experience for visitors.

The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, inspected operations of the Lo Wu Control Point and the Express Rail Link West Kowloon Control Point, and met frontline staff there this morning (April 30) to learn aboutand direct the arrangements at the control points for the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland. Ms Ho said the department will flexibly deploy manpower to ensure smooth operations and strengthen passenger clearance at each control point for faster and smoother clearance of travellers. The department will also maintain close liaison with the Mainland Customs and Macao Customs to share the latest real-time situation of each control point, so that necessary co-ordination and arrangements can be made.

With the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland approaching, Customs has enhanced its promotion of consumer protection to Mainland residents. A series of new promotional videos were produced on Customs official accounts on Mainland social platforms, including WeChat and Douyin, to unveil common unfair trade practices and remind Mainland tourists to stay alert when shopping and avoid falling into consumer pitfalls of unfair trade practices. They were also reminded to pay attention to relevant import and export requirements as well as prohibited and controlled items to avoid contravention of the law.

Moreover, Customs has launched a special operation since April 27 to step up patrols during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland at popular shopping spots in various districts and to remind traders to comply with the requirements of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO), with a view to safeguarding rights of local consumers and visitors.

Apart from patrolling popular shopping spots, Customs officers will also drive publicity at dried seafood and ginseng shops, medicine shops and jewellery shops in different tourist shopping areas such as Yau Tsim Mong and Causeway Bay. Retail shops and workers in the tourist industry will be reminded to comply with the requirements of the TDO.

Customs officers will also distribute pamphlets at land boundary control points and popular shopping spots to remind visitors that they should have a good understanding of a product's specifications and make comparisons before purchase. They should patronise shops with a good reputation. They are also reminded to check carefully the total price and unit price of the goods before making payment, and to retain the transaction receipts and related records, which can beused as the basis for follow-up action in case a complaint is lodged in the future.

Customs has long been concerned about visitors being misled to make purchases by unfair trade practices and has established a Quick Response Team to handle urgent complaints lodged by short-haul visitors. The complaints will be promptly referred to investigators to handle with priority.

Under the TDO, any trader who adopts unfair trade practices, including making false trade descriptions in relation to goods, misleading omissions, aggressive commercial practices as well as bait and switch practices, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

Members of the public may report suspected violations of the TDO to the Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs prepares for Labour Day Golden Week of Mainland Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs prepares for Labour Day Golden Week of Mainland Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs prepares for Labour Day Golden Week of Mainland Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs prepares for Labour Day Golden Week of Mainland Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs prepares for Labour Day Golden Week of Mainland Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Legco delegation embarks on exciting visit to singapore

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

The Legislative Council (LegCo) delegation led by the President of LegCo, Mr Andrew Leung, began its duty visit in Singapore today (May 17).

The delegation visited the Parliament of Singapore to pay a courtesy call on the Speaker of the Parliament, Mr Seah Kian Peng, and met with some Members of Parliament. Both parties exchanged views on various topics including the relationship between the executive authorities and the legislature, as well as Innovation and Technology, land and housing, digital economy, etc. The delegation received a briefing on the Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS) conducted by Members of Parliament in Singapore, and shared LegCo Members' experience in handling public complaints.

The delegation had the opportunity to observe a MPS conducted by a Member of Parliament in his constituency in the evening, to gain a deeper understanding of how these sessions facilitate direct communication between Members of Parliament and their constituents and address community issues. Members believed that MPS can enhance public engagement and such experience is worth referencing. During the session, the delegation also shared insights with the Member of Parliament on parliamentary work.

The delegation also met with the Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, Mr Cao Zhongming, to introduce the latest social and economic developments in Hong Kong and explore how Hong Kong could play a bridging role in the mutually beneficial and co-operative relation between China and Singapore. The delegation also expressed its gratitude to the Central Government and Ambassador Cao for continuously supporting Hong Kong's accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which will facilitate enterprises of member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to expand their businesses in Hong Kong and tap into the Mainland market.

During the visit, the delegation went to JTC Corporation (JTC), a government agency responsible for the development of industrial land and infrastructure, supporting and promoting Singapore's new industrialisation and enterprise development. Members received a briefing by representatives of JTC on its landmark projects, including the development of One-north, which is positioned as a national research and development hub. The delegation opined that various projects of JTC could serve as valuable references for Hong Kong in developing "new quality productive forces" and transforming the Northern Metropolis into a "new international I&T city".

The delegation then met with representatives of the Housing & Development Board of Singapore to gain an overview of local housing policies and projects that provide affordable and quality subsidised housing for citizens. Delegation members would draw on the relevant experience, with a view to putting forward suggestions to the Government on further enhancing the housing ladder in Hong Kong.

In addition, Members met with representatives of the Hong Kong Singapore Business Association and Hong Kong community groups to understand their work, businesses and lives in Singapore. Members also highlighted Hong Kong's unique advantages under "one country, two systems" to investors in Singapore, encouraging them to utilize Hong Kong as a platform to gain access to the Mainland market.

The delegation will continue its duty visit in Singapore tomorrow (May 18) before departing for Hong Kong in the afternoon.

LegCo delegation begins duty visit in Singapore Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

LegCo delegation begins duty visit in Singapore Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

LegCo delegation begins duty visit in Singapore Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

LegCo delegation begins duty visit in Singapore Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

LegCo delegation begins duty visit in Singapore Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases