Seminar Highlights Capacity-Building Opportunities for Belt and Road Collaboration in Hong Kong

Seminar on Belt and Road Capacity Building Platforms promotes knowledge exchanges and collaboration

The Seminar on Belt and Road Capacity Building Platforms was held today (April 22) to introduce capacity-building opportunities, including those by public organisations and institutions in Hong Kong, with a view to exchanging knowledge for promoting development, deepening soft connectivity of rules and standards, exploring collaboration opportunities and enhancing people-to people bonds with Belt and Road (B&R) countries.

Organised by the Belt and Road Office with the theme of "Connecting Knowledge for Shared Prosperity: Advancing Belt and Road Soft Connectivity in Alignment with the 15th Five-Year Plan", the seminar aimed to promote the Belt and Road Capacity Building Platforms (Platforms). It featured some 20 public organisations and institutions, covering areas such as transport and logistics, financial services, legal services, development and construction, environment and ecology, innovation and technology, health, and integrity.

The Commissioner for Belt and Road, Mr Nicholas Ho, said that the initiative of the Platforms is designed to serve as a two-way springboard for Hong Kong and its partners to learn and lead. "By sharing governance experience and professional expertise, we work alongside officials and professionals from B&R countries to build the skills, standards, and networks required to turn development goals into delivery - strengthening resilient economies, effective institutions, and sustainable development," he said.

Representatives from about 30 consulates-general, honorary consulates and chambers of commerce of B&R countries in Hong Kong, etc, attended the seminar to know more about the Platforms and capacity-building programmes. They also exchanged views and explored collaboration opportunities. Representatives from the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy, the Hong Kong Productivity Council and the new Belt and Road Sustainable Green Development Training Centre gave briefings on their capacity-building programmes and collaboration with B&R partners. A representative from the International Organization for Mediation also introduced its work on promoting dispute resolution through mediation and other means.

Seminar on Belt and Road Capacity Building Platforms promotes knowledge exchanges and collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Seminar on Belt and Road Capacity Building Platforms promotes knowledge exchanges and collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Seminar on Belt and Road Capacity Building Platforms promotes knowledge exchanges and collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Seminar on Belt and Road Capacity Building Platforms promotes knowledge exchanges and collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs combats unfair trade practices at medicine shop

Hong Kong Customs today (April 22) arrested a salesman of a medicine shop suspected of engaging in unfair trade practices involving misleading omission in the course of selling Chinese herbal medicine, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

Customs earlier received information from a Mainland visitor alleging that a staff member of a medicine shop in Mong Kok was suspected of engaging in unfair trade practices involving misleading omission in the course of selling Chinese herbal medicine. The investigation revealed that the salesperson promoted a "buy-one-get-one-free special offer" to the visitor, claiming that purchasing a certain type of Chinese herbal medicine would entitle her to proprietary Chinese medicine for free. Not until the herbal Chinese medicine was ground into powder did the salesperson claim that the promotion was "buy-10-get-one-free", thereby misleading the visitor into purchasing the herbal medicine at a cost more than 10 times higher than her expectation.

After an in-depth investigation, Customs officers mounted an enforcement operation today and arrested a salesman, aged 39, of the medicine shop concerned.

An investigation is ongoing, and the arrested man was held for inquiry.

Customs has long been concerned about visitors being misled to make purchases by unfair trade practices and has established a Quick Response Team to handle urgent complaints lodged by short-haul visitors. The complaints will be promptly referred to investigators to handle with priority.

With the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland approaching, Customs will continue to step up inspections and enforcements to vigorously combat unfair trade practices.

Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to purchase products from reputable shops. Consumers should also be cautious about the unit price and ask for more information, including the total price of the goods selected, before making a purchase decision.

Under the TDO, any trader who engages in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely, and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO 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).

Source: AI-found images