Secretary for Environment and Ecology Signs Meeting Minutes with Lhasa Customs District to Explore New Markets for Plateau Food to Hong Kong

SEE signs meeting minutes with Lhasa Customs District

The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, continued his visit to the Xizang Autonomous Region yesterday (May 20) and signed the meeting minutes with the Lhasa Customs District on exporting Xizang's plateau food to Hong Kong.

In the morning, Mr Tse first called on the Director General in the Lhasa Customs District, Mr Wang Honghan, to explore co-operation and opportunities between the two places in areas such as plateau food trade and exchanges on food safety risk monitoring. Both sides also signed the meeting minutes to confirm their intention of co-operation, with a view to facilitating the export of Xizang's plateau food to Hong Kong and exploring overseas markets through Hong Kong.

Mr Tse said that Mainland enterprises could leverage Hong Kong's mature network as a food import and export trade hub, its stringent food safety regulatory system, and its advantages in connecting with international markets to explore broader markets. Hong Kong enterprises can also identify more high-quality imported sources to achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

Mr Tse and the delegation also visited the technical centre and history gallery of the Lhasa Customs District to learn about the work of animal and plant quarantine, health quarantine, and the inspection of import and export products in high-altitude areas, as well as the history of the Lhasa Customs District.

In the afternoon, Mr Tse first visited an enterprise in Lhasa city that integrates traditional Xizang culture with porcelain craftsmanship. The enterprise adds value to agricultural by-products such as plateau yak bones to produce exquisite porcelain.

Mr Tse then visited a highland barley wine production enterprise. The representative briefed the delegation on the use of highland barley, a characteristic crop of the plateau, as the raw material for winemaking. He later visited a mineral water production enterprise to learn about the use of natural glacier water for producing pure mineral water and its export situation.

Mr Tse will continue his visit to the Xizang Autonomous Region today (May 21).

The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, continued his visit to the Xizang Autonomous Region yesterday (May 20). Photo shows Mr Tse (left) and the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food), Ms Irene Young (right), visiting a mineral water production enterprise in Lhasa city to learn about the use of natural glacier water for producing pure mineral water and its export situation. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, continued his visit to the Xizang Autonomous Region yesterday (May 20). Photo shows Mr Tse (second right) and the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food), Ms Irene Young (first right), visiting a highland barley wine production enterprise in Lhasa city, and being briefed on the use of highland barley, a characteristic crop of the plateau, as the raw material for winemaking. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, continued his visit to the Xizang Autonomous Region yesterday (May 20). Photo shows the delegation visiting an enterprise in Lhasa city that integrates traditional Xizang culture with porcelain craftsmanship, and being briefed on the use of agricultural by-products plateau yak bones to produce exquisite porcelain. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, continued his visit to the Xizang Autonomous Region yesterday (May 20). Photo shows Mr Tse (front row, fourth left); the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food), Ms Irene Young (front row, third right); the Controller of the Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Dr Christine Wong (front row, second left), and other delegation members of the Environment and Ecology Bureau, together with the Director General in the Lhasa Customs District, Mr Wang Honghan (front row, fourth right), and other Lhasa Customs District officers. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, continued his visit to the Xizang Autonomous Region yesterday (May 20). Photo shows Mr Tse (front row, left) and the Director General in the Lhasa Customs District, Mr Wang Honghan (front row, right), signing the meeting minutes to implement the intention of co-operation between the two places in areas such as plateau food trade. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, continued his visit to the Xizang Autonomous Region yesterday (May 20). Photo shows Mr Tse (second right); the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food), Ms Irene Young (first right); and the Controller of the Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Dr Christine Wong (third right), meeting with the Director General in the Lhasa Customs District, Mr Wang Honghan (third left). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, continued his visit to the Xizang Autonomous Region yesterday (May 20). Photo shows Mr Tse (first right) and the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food), Ms Irene Young (second right), accompanied by the Director General in the Lhasa Customs District, Mr Wang Honghan (second left), visiting the technical centre of the Lhasa Customs District to learn about the its food inspection and relevant work. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects case involving precious metals and stones dealer carrying out specified cash transaction without Category B registration

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (May 20) detected a case involving a local company that conducted a cash transaction of gold jewellery valued at over HK$120,000, while not being a Category B registrant under the Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Regulatory Regime. An investigation is ongoing.

According to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615), unless exempted, any person who is seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones and engage in any transaction(s) (whether making or receiving a payment) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 in Hong Kong is required to register with Hong Kong Customs.

In particular, no person other than a Category B registrant may carry out a cash transaction with a total value at or above HK$120,000 in the course of business of dealing in precious metals and stones. Any dealer who is not a Category B registrant but who claims to be a Category B registrant, claims to be authorised to carry out, or carries out any cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and imprisonment for six months.

Customs reminds dealers in precious metals and stones that they must obtain the relevant registration before they can carry out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000.

For the forms, procedures and guidelines to submit applications for registration, please visit the website for Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Registration System (www.drs.customs.gov.hk) or Customs' webpage (www.customs.gov.hk/en/service-enforcement-information/anti-money-laundering/supervision-of-dealers-in-precious-metals-and-ston/index.html).

Members of the public may report any suspected transactions involving precious metals and stones with a total value at or above HK$120,000 conducted without the required registration 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