SCED: Hong Kong committed to driving progress towards shared prosperity through sustainable trade
The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, continued attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) Meeting in Jeju, Korea, today (May 16).
Speaking at the session entitled "Prosperity through Sustainable Trade", Mr Yau said that supply chains are the drivingengines for today's global economy, yet they are also highly sensitive and vulnerable to external shocks.
He depicted that Hong Kong, as an international shipping and logistics hub, has been implementing various measures such as Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050 and the roadmap on sustainability disclosure in Hong Kong to support sustainable supply chains.
"In parallel, enabling initiatives have been rolled out to equip micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with the means to manage their environmental footprint and encourage market participants to improve sustainable business practices. Funding schemes and capacity-building programmes have also been put in place to encourage the adoption of digital technologies by MSMEs to facilitate the digital transformation of supply chains," Mr Yau said.
Mr Yau stressed that the issue of supply chains has always been an integral part of APEC discussions, and APEC's role becomes even more important now than ever, when cross-border trade and investments and supply chains face uncertainty and unprecedented challenges.
Mr Yau said he believed that the collective goal of strengthening sustainable supply chains should never be a trade-off between sustainability and trade, but rather a synergy between the two. Hong Kong is committed to working with all member economies to drive progress towards shared prosperity through sustainable trade.
On the sidelines of the MRT Meeting, Mr Yau held a bilateral meeting with State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Mr Ogushi Masaki to exchange views on various trade and economic issues.
The two-day MRT Meeting concluded. Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong tomorrow morning (May 17).
SCED: Hong Kong committed to driving progress towards shared prosperity through sustainable trade Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SCED: Hong Kong committed to driving progress towards shared prosperity through sustainable trade 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
