Civil Service College Hosts Talk on China-U.S. Relations for HKSAR Officials

Civil Service College holds talk on "Development of China - United States Relations"

The Civil Service College (CSC) today (January 27) held a talk in the series on the country's foreign affairs, jointly with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (OCMFA) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The talk was delivered by Deputy Director General of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Mr Tang Zhiwen. The theme of the talk was "Development of China - United States Relations".

Addressing the talk, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said that Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of enjoying the nation's strong support and being closely connected to the world, along with a multicultural and international background. In the National 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong can play a bridging role by promoting economic and cultural exchanges between the country and the rest of the world, thereby opening up new development opportunities. HKSAR civil servants should take a more active role by developing a deep understanding of national strategies, accurately grasping changes in the international landscape, and fully leveraging their professional expertise and communication capabilities to contribute to fostering rational dialogue and pragmatic co-operation between China and the United States.

About 170 senior officials and civil servants in the directorate and senior ranks attended the talk at the Central Government Offices today.

The CSC and the OCMFA have been jointly organising this series of talks on the country's foreign affairs since late 2021. The series, including thematic briefing sessions on "International Landscape and China's Foreign Relations" by the Commissioner of OCMFA, and talks by relevant officials of the MFA on various topics, aims to broaden civil servants' international perspectives, and awareness of national security and holistic views.

Civil Service College holds talk on "Development of China - United States Relations" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Civil Service College holds talk on "Development of China - United States Relations" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Civil Service College holds talk on "Development of China - United States Relations" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Civil Service College holds talk on "Development of China - United States Relations" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes

An incoming male passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (January 27) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted the incoming male passenger, aged 46, at Hong Kong International Airport on January 25, and seized about 65 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $292,500 and a duty potential of about $214,900, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases