CE meets Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore, Mr Gan Kim Yong, at Government House today (January 13) to exchange views on issues of mutual interest. Also attending the meeting were the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau.
Mr Lee welcomed Mr Gan's visit to Hong Kong with his high-level business delegation. Mr Lee said that Hong Kong and Singapore have maintained close and friendly ties in bilateral trade, noting that Singapore is Hong Kong's fourth-largest trading partner in the world and largest partner in merchandise trade among the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He said he believes that Hong Kong and Singapore can enhance collaboration in areas including trade, digital economy, financial services and green technologies.
Mr Lee highlighted that Hong Kong has the distinctive advantage of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under "one country, two systems", serving as an international financial, shipping, and trade centre that benefits from opportunities brought about by key national development strategies, including the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Belt and Road Initiative. He encouraged Singaporean enterprises to make use of Hong Kong's advantages to tap into business opportunities in the Mainland market.
Mr Lee also expressed his gratitude to Singapore for its continuous support for Hong Kong's early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, with a view to contributing to wider and deeper economic co-operation and integration in the region.
CE meets Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CAD search and rescue exercise strengthens collaboration and responsiveness
The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) successfully completed a joint short-range Aeronautical Search and Rescue exercise today (January 12) in the waters near Mong Tung Wan on the Chi Ma Wan Peninsula, Lantau Island.
The exercise involved eight government departments and one search and rescue unit, namely CAD, the Government Flying Service (GFS), the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), the Fire Services Department (FSD), the Marine Department (MD), the Civil Aid Service, the Auxiliary Medical Service and the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), and the Hong Kong Garrison of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (Garrison) respectively.
Today's exercise simulated a helicopter crashing into the sea near Mong Tung Wan on Lantau Island. With the concerted efforts of helicopters and vessels dispatched by the Garrison, the GFS, the HKPF, and the FSD, all three people on board were rescued. The exercise lasted one hour, mobilising around 100 personnel from the participating units.
A spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Department said, "In accordance with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization, CAD regularly organises Aeronautical Search and Rescue exercises to strengthen co-operation and co-ordination among relevant search and rescue units and promote technical exchanges. This is to ensure a rapid and effective response in the event of an emergency."
This Aeronautical Search and Rescue exercise is divided into two parts: a short-range search and rescue exercise conducted today in the waters near Mong Tung Wan on Lantau Island; and a long-range search and rescue exercise to be conducted tomorrow (January 13) in the South China Sea, approximately 50 nautical miles south of Hong Kong. CAD, together with the GFS, the MD, the Garrison, the Nanhai Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China, and the Guangdong Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, will jointly deploy fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and ships to conduct the search and rescue tasks. The entire long-range exercise is expected to be completed in around three hours.
CAD search and rescue exercise strengthens collaboration and responsiveness Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CAD search and rescue exercise strengthens collaboration and responsiveness Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CAD search and rescue exercise strengthens collaboration and responsiveness Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CAD search and rescue exercise strengthens collaboration and responsiveness Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CAD search and rescue exercise strengthens collaboration and responsiveness Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
