Remarks by SLW on mandatory reporting of child abuse and industrial accident
Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on mandatory reporting of child abuse and industrial accident at a media session after attending a radio programme this morning (July 12):
Reporter: Secretary, can you also explain in English how the application for professionals on reporting suspected child abuse cases could properly guide them in knowing what to be reported and what not to be reported? And separately, on the industrial accident that happened two days ago, what is the investigation process right now, and any concerns regarding construction works under adverse weather?
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: Thank you very much. Starting from mid-January next year, all the professionals covered by the law will be obliged to report serious child abuse cases. To help them discharge their legal obligations, we will soon launch training for them, so that they can make use of a tailor-made system which they can click into through the website by answering multiple choice questions. The system will at the end let them know whether the case is one that they have to report under the law, or is not a mandatory reporting case. I think the purpose is to make sure that all the professionals have peace of mind when comes to the obligations under the law. Through the system, instead of going through a very thick book of reporter guideline, they can just answer the questions. There will not be a lot of questions, just around ten or something more, and there will be a lot of notes to help them answer the questions. I think this may be the first of its kind in the world, if not for all languages, clearly for the Chinese language system. We will keep on improving the system.
As for the industrial accident happened two days ago, we are very concerned about this very serious incident. We have already issued a suspension notice, i.e. work is not allowed to be taken during the period when the notice is in force. At the same time, we are investigating the incident making sure that the employer is doing everything they could, to provide all the precautionary measures to make sure that workers who are undertaking work in inclement weather are adequately protected. We are moving along this direction. Thank you very much.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)
Source: AI-found images
Speech by SITI at 2026 WAIC UP! Global Summit
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the 2026 WAIC UP! Global Summit today (January 16):
Professor Sun Dong, Photo by Bastille Post
Ms Qiu (Vice President of DLG Exhibitions & Events Co Ltd, Ms Qiu Haoming), Hendrick (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's Deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, Mr Hendrick Sin), Terry (Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Mr Terry Wong), Duncan (Member of the Legislative Council, Mr Duncan Chiu), Alex (President of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, Dr Alex Chung), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. I am delighted to join you at the 2026 WAIC UP! Global Summit.Today's theme, "Wake Up More!", is a call not only for any single company, city, or country but also a timely reminder for all of us to embrace a new era of intelligence, possibility, and shared responsibility.
A big thank you to the organiser for choosing Hong Kong as a destination for this remarkable Summit. This is another testament to Hong Kong's unique position as a "super connector" and a "super value-adder" that thrives on global connection and creativity. We are delighted to see that world-class academics, industry experts and leading entrepreneurs from around the world gather here today to explore the future of AI and the opportunities it brings to us.
AI has become a core engine driving global technological and economic progress, and all economies recognise its strategic importance.Under the unique advantages of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong is also seizing this AI moment.With a focus on "strengthening infrastructure and promoting the application-oriented approach", Hong Kong is steadily advancing a series of AI initiatives.
In terms of R&D (research and development), the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government is working to establish the Hong Kong AI Research and Development Institute within this year, which is a new engine for discovery, translation, and real-world impact.Through our AIR@InnoHK research cluster, we have funded the establishment of 16 R&D laboratories focusing on AI and robotics technologies.Notably, the "HKChat" AI chatbot developed by the Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center has already launched its public version.
Hong Kong's total computing power has now reached 5 000 PFLOPS, with the Cyberport AI Supercomputing Centre contributing 3 000 PFLOPS. This centre is a critical hub that supports Hong Kong's AI development, and its capacity will continue to expand to meet growing demand. The upcoming data facility cluster at Sandy Ridge in North District will further provide advanced computing power facilities, promoting the development of data and AI-related industries in Hong Kong.
And at the heart of all progress is talent. We recognise that people, not algorithms, will shape the future of AI. Our strategy is simple yet powerful: "Promote technology with talent, lead industries with technology, and attract talent with industries". To this end, we have included in the Talent List a number of professions in the I&T (innovation and technology) segment, including experienced AI Specialists, to facilitate global experts, like all of you here, in developing your careers in Hong Kong.
Looking ahead, the Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to foster strong collaboration among the Government and the industry, academia, research and investment sectors. The future of AI cannot be built by anyone or any place alone. It requires a global community that is awake, aware, and aligned.I am confident that this Summit will spark new ideas and inspire us to wake up more for high-quality AI development.
I wish the Summit great success. Thank you.
The 2026 WAIC UP! Global Summit, Photo by Bastille Post
