Hong Kong Symposium Focuses on National Security in Social Welfare Sector

Symposium for social welfare sector focuses on strengthening awareness of safeguarding national security

A symposium on safeguarding national security for the social welfare sector of Hong Kong, jointly organised by the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) and the Social Welfare Department (SWD) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Connecting Hearts, was held today (April 10). The symposium explored the alignment of Hong Kong's social welfare sector with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and focused on the sharing of the sector's self-initiated efforts in safeguarding national security, with a view to supporting the high-quality development of the "one country, two systems" policy.

The symposium was officiated by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun. Over 300 management personnel from social welfare organisations attended the event, while around 9 000 participants from the social welfare sector took part online, fully demonstrating the social welfare sector's strong commitment to national security. Deputy Director-General of the Social Work Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Dr Zhou He and the President of the Connecting Hearts Academy, Professor Annie Tam, also attended the symposium.

Addressing the symposium, Mr Sun remarked that the white paper titled "Hong Kong: Safeguarding China's National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems", published by the State Council Information Office in February this year, sets out thoroughly the Central Government's principled stance on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong and gives a systematic account of Hong Kong's experience in safeguarding national security, offering important insights and guidance for all sectors of Hong Kong society. The successful conclusion of the eighth-term Legislative Council General Election last year under the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", faithfully implementing the practice of "one country, two systems", was a crucial realisation of strengthening the national security shield. He stressed that social welfare work carries significant responsibilities and expressed his hope that the sector will continue to work shoulder to shoulder with the Government to actively advance efforts to safeguard national security, so that the society can focus its efforts on striving for a vibrant economy, pursuing development, and improving people's livelihood.

Mr Sun said that while this year marks the beginning of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, it is incumbent upon all sectors of the community to consider and act on how Hong Kong can make full use of its strengths to serve the country's needs and further integrate into the overall national development. He also encouraged the social welfare sector to seize the opportunities from the 15th Five-Year Plan, deepening and strengthening the collaboration on social welfare in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and thus contributing Hong Kong's strengths to the country's development.

Member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and the President of the Legislative Council, Dr Starry Lee, was also invited to share her valuable insights on the National 15th Five-Year Plan and explore with the participants of the symposium how to further reinforce efforts in safeguarding national security under the "one country, two systems".

Another highlight of the symposium was a sharing session featuring representatives from six social welfare organisations, who presented their self-initiated efforts and practical experiences in safeguarding national security. The session fostered peer exchanges and mutual learning across the sector, encouraging organisations to more effectively integrate national security measures into their daily operations and jointly fulfil the sector's mission and responsibilities in safeguarding national security.

In his concluding remarks, Mr Sun said that the social welfare sector has actively supported the work of the LWB and the SWD during the previous year to promote national security. In addition to participating in the symposium, sharing sessions on national security and visiting the National Security Exhibition Gallery, the social welfare sector has also taken the initiative to organise training programmes, subsidised by the Dedicated Fund of the SWD, on understanding of national affairs and safeguarding national security, as well as arranging exchange tours to the Mainland for their staff. Mr Sun expressed confidence that, as more stakeholders of the sector deepen their understanding of the country, the sector will definitely demonstrate a broader perspective and a deeper sense of patriotism in serving the community, thereby facilitating the development and integration of the social welfare services of both places.

Source: AI-found images

Symposium for social welfare sector focuses on strengthening awareness of safeguarding national security Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Symposium for social welfare sector focuses on strengthening awareness of safeguarding national security Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Symposium for social welfare sector focuses on strengthening awareness of safeguarding national security Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Symposium for social welfare sector focuses on strengthening awareness of safeguarding national security Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

WSD reports incident of loss of domestic consumers' personal data

The Water Supplies Department (WSD) received a report on April 8 and confirmed upon investigation that a personal digital assistant (PDA) containing consumers' data was found missing during field meter-reading work conducted by a staff member of the WSD on the same day. The PDA was the staff member's work equipment.

The spokesman said that the PDA contained a total of 495 names and addresses of domestic consumers from three buildings in Fortress Hill. Apart from one consumer's information that contained a telephone number, other information involved did not contain any personal identity card numbers or other personal information.

Regarding the incident, the WSD has notified the relevant authorities including the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and the Digital Policy Office, and also made a report to the Police. The WSD will fully co-operate with the relevant authorities and the Police in their investigations and operations.

The WSD has informed the consumers referenced above of the incident, alerted them to raise their awareness, and apologised for the incident. If consumers concerned have further enquiries on the incident, they may call the WSD's customer services hotline at 2824 5000 or send an email to wsdinfo1@wsd.gov.hk.

The spokesman for the WSD stressed, "The department attaches great importance to the incident, adding that immediate follow-up actions were taken. The department has reminded staff that they must heighten their vigilance and properly safeguard government property. They must also strictly follow guidelines regarding the proper handling and confidentiality of personal data. Meanwhile, the department is conducting a detailed investigation into the personnel involved and the circumstances of the incident. Depending on the findings, appropriate disciplinary action may be considered. The Department will also conduct a detailed review of the equipment and procedures used by staff during field meter-reading work, and explore measures to strengthen data protection."

Source: AI-found images