China's Deputy Director General Visits Hong Kong to Ensure Quality Food Supply for Chinese New Year

Mainland delegation visits Hong Kong to ensure sufficient supply of variety of food during Chinese New Year

The Deputy Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Ms Li Na, today (February 9) led a delegation to Hong Kong to observe the situation of the food supply from the Mainland to Hong Kong andto ensure that people in Hong Kong have sufficient supply of a variety of high-quality food during the Chinese New Year. Members of the delegation include representatives from the General Administration of Customs of the PRC, the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province.

The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, met with the delegation at noon and expressed gratitude for their annual visit to Hong Kong ahead of the Chinese New Year to observe the situation of the food supply from the Mainland. He said that the relevant Mainland authorities have strengthened the sources of supply and enhanced contingency plans to ensure the stability and safety of the food supply, fully demonstrating the Central Authorities' care and support for Hong Kong. Mr Tse also shared with the delegation on how the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government rolls out various new food-related initiatives to align proactively with the National 15th Five-Year Plan.

The delegation visited the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse in the morning to observe the transportation, auction and slaughtering of live pigs supplied to Hong Kong. Accompanied by representatives of the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the delegation visited the Wan Chai Market and the Western Wholesale Food Market in the afternoon to observe the distribution and sale of fresh food.

The Mainland is the primary source of agricultural products, especially live and fresh food, for Hong Kong. Relevant agencies on the Mainland have long attached great importance to the quality, safety and stability of food supplied to Hong Kong and have established a close liaison mechanism with Hong Kong. As the supply businesses of fresh food to Hong Kong have continued to grow on the Mainland, the quality and variety of food products supplied to Hong Kong have continued to improve, demonstrating the Central Government's care for the HKSAR and playing a crucial role in stabilising the supply and prices of fresh food to Hong Kong.

The Deputy Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, Ms Li Na, today (February 9) led a delegation to Hong Kong to ensure the stable supply of quality and safe agricultural products from the Mainland to Hong Kong during the Chinese New Year. Photo shows Ms Li (second left), the Deputy Director-General of the Economic Affairs Department and Head of the Commercial Office of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Zhou Qiang (first right), and the delegation visiting the Western Wholesale Food Market to observe the distribution of fresh food. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Deputy Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, Ms Li Na, today (February 9) led a delegation to Hong Kong to ensure the stable supply of quality and safe agricultural products from the Mainland to Hong Kong during the Chinese New Year. Photo shows Ms Li (fourth right) and the delegation visiting the Wan Chai Market to observe the sale of fresh food. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Photo shows Ms Li (second left); the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan (second right); the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food), Ms Irene Young (first left); and the Deputy Director-General of the Economic Affairs Department and Head of the Commercial Office of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Zhou Qiang (first right). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million

Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Hong Kong International Airport and Yau Ma Tei respectively on April 1 and yesterday (April 2), and seized a total of about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with a total estimated market value of about $3.4 million. Two persons suspected to be connected with the cases were arrested.

In the first case, a 43-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand on April 1. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine concealed inside food packaging in his baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

In the second case, during an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Yau Ma Tei on April 2, Customs officers intercepted a 41-year-old man and later escorted him to a hotel room nearby for a search and seized about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, a drug inhaling apparatus and a batch of drug packaging paraphernalia. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested persons have been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug respectively and will appear at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (April 4).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking 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).

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases