Speech by SITI at LSCM Logistics Summit 2024
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the LSCM Logistics Summit 2024 today (October 10):
萬部長 (Deputy Director-General of the YouthDepartment of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Ms Wan Ning), 謝書記 (Deputy Secretary of the CPC Working Committee of Nansha Development Zone, Guangzhou Mr Xie Wei), Alan (Chairman of the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre (LSCM), Professor Alan Lam), Simon (Chief Executive Officer of the LSCM, Mr Simon Wong), distinguished speakers and guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is my great pleasure to join you today again at the LSCM Logistics Summit, the annual signature event that brings together industry experts, business leaders, and academics to exchange ideas on the latest developments in innovation and technology (I&T) and to promote technology adoption.
In recent years, we have witnessed remarkable advancements in I&T that have accelerated our efforts in building a smart city and bolstering the digital economy. This Summit, themed "The New Era of Digitalisation: From Smart City to Digital Economy", represents a much-welcome opportunity to explore how the evolving technologies are shaping and digitalising Hong Kong and the entire Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Promoting digital economy and smart city development in Hong Kong is one of our major strategic directions as set out in the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint promulgated in late 2022. Smart Mobility and Smart Living are also key areas in smart city development. Paying heed to these strategies and priorities, the Government works closely with our key stakeholders such as the LSCM to collaborate on the I&T adventure.
The LSCM is an active partner in our endeavours on smart city development. It participates in a number of pilots and proofs-of-concept involving government bureaux and departments. A notable example is the development of the Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosks. The kiosks currently support around 70 public services from the Government, covering tax, company registration, property and vehicle, among others. Setting up in various GBA Mainland cities such as Zhuhai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, these kiosks facilitate access to Hong Kong's public services for residents and enterprises in the GBA Mainland cities, doing away with the need for in-person visits and providing significant convenience.
The LSCM's efforts have gained wide recognition both locally and internationally, as evident by the eight awards they received at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva in April this year, including the self-service kiosk I shared just now. Other award-winning solutions cover a broad range of technologies such as satellite signal monitoring and Internet of things.
All these demonstrate the strong capability and creativity of theLSCM, and represent a testimony to Hong Kong's strengths and commitment to turning our vision of becoming an international I&T centre into reality.
I am excited to learn that theLSCM will expand its collaboration networks by signing three MOUs with three leading research institutes from Mainland China respectively covering different fields of information technology such as software and container logistics. I am confident that these collaborations will inject new impetus into the LSCM's work to generate more breakthroughs in the areas of smart city-related solutions.
Ladies and gentlemen, the development of a smart city will remain a priority of the Government. Collaboration will be the key. We will continue to join hands with our partners in the public and private sectors to push forward the smart city development of Hong Kong.
Before I close, I wish you all a rewarding experience at the LSCM Summit 2024. Thank you very much.
Speech by SITI at LSCM Logistics Summit 2024 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted an anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Contribute" today (January 15).During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided premises under renovation in a newly built public housing estate in Sheung Shui district.A total of six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. Thearrested suspected illegal workers comprise six men, aged 22 to 41. Furthermore, one man, aged 45, suspected of employing the illegal workers, was also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.
Apart from mounting the enforcement operation, ImmD officers and a promotional vehicle have been deployed to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message in the estate.
An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."
The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
