Guangdong and Hong Kong Sign Agreement to Standardize Construction Practices in Greater Bay Area

Guangdong and Hong Kong jointly promote construction standardisation to enhance competitiveness of GBA's construction industry

The Development Bureau (DEVB) and the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangdong Province (DHURDGP) today (June 2) signed the Cooperation Agreement on Guangdong-Hong Kong Construction Standardisation (Agreement) to establish a collaborative mechanism for construction standardisation between Guangdong and Hong Kong, co-ordinating and leading the formulation ofthe Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) construction standards.

The Agreement was signed by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, and the DirectorGeneral of the DHURDGP, Mr Guo Haoyu. Deputy Director of the Department of Standards and Norms of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Mr Fan Hongzhu, and the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau, also attended the signing ceremony.

Under the mechanism, the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments will jointly set up a working group and a technical committee, and invite experts from relevant sectors to form expert committees. The Building Technology Research Institute and the Guangdong Provincial Academy of Building Research Group Co, Ltd will serve as the secretariats for Hong Kong and Guangdong respectively. Both sides will jointly coordinate and steer the formulation of construction standards in designated areas, with a view to enhancing the competitiveness of the GBA's construction industry.

Ms Linn said that the DEVB is grateful to the Ministry of Housing and UrbanRural Development and the DHURDGP for supporting the work on Guangdong-Hong Kong construction standardisation. She noted that the outline of the National 15th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong in leveraging its strengths in professional services to help enterprises go global. The signing of the Agreement signifies a major milestone for Guangdong and Hong Kong in deepening institutional alignment and promoting the overall upgrading and mutual recognition of construction standards. Reflecting the national policy directions, it capitalises on Hong Kong’s international advantages to bridge national and international standards, thereby enhancing the global competitiveness of the country's construction industry.

Mr Guo said that the signing of the Agreement marks an important milestone in strengthening institutional alignment between the two sides. The DHURDGP and the DEVB have achieved fruitful results in co-operation in various construction areas. Going forward, both sides will continue to strengthen coordination on construction standards, jointly develop standards, progressively promote alignment of existing standards, and advance mutual recognition, thereby enhancing the global competitiveness of the construction industry of the GBA.

Mr Fan said that the signing of the Agreement is of significant importance to expanding institutional openness in construction standards. It supports the collaborative work on Guangdong-Hong Kong construction standardisation, aligns with national standards, promotes mutual recognition, and leverages Hong Kong's connection to international standards. Through standardisation, the two places can achieve deep integration in construction technologies, standards, and industries, thereby contributing to the national strategies on regional coordinated development and highlevel opening up.

Before the signing ceremony, Ms Linn, Mr Guo, Mr Fan and Mr Lau exchanged views on the latest developments of the construction industry in Guangdong and Hong Kong, as well as deepening cooperation between the two places and promoting high-quality development of the construction industry in the GBA. They also explored how construction standardisation could drive the collaborative development of the construction industry and advanced construction technologies, including optimising the application and collaboration of the Modular Integrated Construction method, with a view to jointly leading the GBA's construction industry onto the international stage.

Source: AI-found images

Guangdong and Hong Kong jointly promote construction standardisation to enhance competitiveness of GBA's construction industry Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Guangdong and Hong Kong jointly promote construction standardisation to enhance competitiveness of GBA's construction industry Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Guangdong and Hong Kong jointly promote construction standardisation to enhance competitiveness of GBA's construction industry Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Guangdong and Hong Kong jointly promote construction standardisation to enhance competitiveness of GBA's construction industry Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Guangdong and Hong Kong jointly promote construction standardisation to enhance competitiveness of GBA's construction industry Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Guangdong and Hong Kong jointly promote construction standardisation to enhance competitiveness of GBA's construction industry Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Source: AI-found images

Proposed amendments to Sweeteners in Food Regulations

The Government proposes to amend the Sweeteners in Food Regulations (Cap.132U), with a view to better protecting public health and harmonising with international standards. The Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will first consult the Legislative Council Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene on June 9 (see Annex for the discussion paper) and plan to conduct a public consultation within this year.

Sweeteners are food additives that impart a sweet taste to food in place of sugars. Like other food additives, sweeteners are permitted for use only after stringent safety evaluations that demonstrate they are fit for consumption. When reviewing the Regulations and formulating the proposed amendments, the Government has taken into account the standards established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and Mainland standards, the dietary habits and intake of the local population, as well as the practices of other major food trading partners of Hong Kong. The proposed amendments are supported by the Expert Committee on Food Safety.

A Government spokesman said, "The proposed amendments mainly include bringing polyhydric alcohols under the regulatory scope, expanding the list of permitted sweeteners and setting maximum permitted levels (MPLs) for different 'sweetener-food' pairs. The CFS has collected food samples from the local market to analyse their sweetener content. Among some 900 tests conducted, about 98 per cent were in compliance with the proposed MPLs. We are confident that the food trade can adapt to the proposed amendments, and propose to provide a transitional period following the completion of the legislative process. The CFS will also conduct technical meetings for the trade and issue user guidelines to facilitate the trade in understanding and complying with the new requirements."

The Government plans to consult the public on the proposed amendments to the Regulations within this year, and will consider the feedback received to prepare the subsidiary legislation to amend the Regulations for tabling at the Legislative Council for scrutiny.

Source: AI-found images