Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva celebrates 29th anniversary of establishment of HKSAR
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva hosted a reception on June 23 (Geneva time) to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) with over 170 guests from diplomatic missions to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and key contacts in various international organisations, the academia and local businesses.
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Over 170 representatives from diplomatic missions to the World Trade Organization and different sectors attended the reception held in Geneva in celebration of the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Guests engaged in conversations and enjoyed the refreshments at the reception hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva. Photo shows the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Honduras to the WTO, Mr Dacio Castillo (first left); the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Djibouti to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, Ms Kadra Ahmed Hassan (second right); and the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Brazil to the WTO and other Economic Organizations in Geneva, Mr Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota, and his wife (first right and second left) at the reception. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), talked with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Australia to the WTO, Mr James Baxter (centre), and the Alternate Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Argentina to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, Ms Cecilia Risolo (left), at the reception. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (left), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the WTO, Ms Sumathi Balakrishnan (right). Ambassador Balakrishnan is the current Chairperson of the WTO Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Geneva (Permanent Representative to the WTO), Mr Katsuro Nagai (left). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the WTO, Ms Clare Kelly (left). Ambassador Kelly is the current Chairperson of the WTO General Council. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the WTO, Mr R.G.S.P.K. Wijesekara (left). Ambassador Wijesekara is the current Chairperson of the WTO Committee on Balance-of-Payments Restrictions. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the WTO, Mr Ali Sarfraz Hussain (left). Ambassador Hussain is the current Chairperson of the WTO Committee on Agriculture in Special Session. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Peru to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, Mr Elmer José Germán Gonzalo Schialer Salcedo (left). Ambassador Schialer Salcedo is the current Chairperson of the WTO Committee on Trade and Development. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization, Miss Winky So, delivered a speech at the reception. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Speaking at the reception, the Permanent Representative of the HKSAR of China to the WTO, Miss Winky So, highlighted that trade has been one of the most powerful forces for economic growth and development, and the trading system can be shaped if all parties work together.
To the guests, she said, "Hong Kong’s success has always depended on our own openness and connectivity, as well as the predictability provided by the WTO; we remain firmly committed to upholding the core values of the rules-based multilateral trading system."
As a founding member of the WTO, Hong Kong has always been a staunch supporter of the rules-based multilateral trading system. Under the "one country, two systems" principle, Hong Kong participates in the WTO as a separate customs territory in the name of Hong Kong, China.
Over 170 representatives from diplomatic missions to the World Trade Organization and different sectors attended the reception held in Geneva in celebration of the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Guests engaged in conversations and enjoyed the refreshments at the reception hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva. Photo shows the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Honduras to the WTO, Mr Dacio Castillo (first left); the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Djibouti to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, Ms Kadra Ahmed Hassan (second right); and the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Brazil to the WTO and other Economic Organizations in Geneva, Mr Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota, and his wife (first right and second left) at the reception. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), talked with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Australia to the WTO, Mr James Baxter (centre), and the Alternate Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Argentina to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, Ms Cecilia Risolo (left), at the reception. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (left), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the WTO, Ms Sumathi Balakrishnan (right). Ambassador Balakrishnan is the current Chairperson of the WTO Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Geneva (Permanent Representative to the WTO), Mr Katsuro Nagai (left). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the WTO, Ms Clare Kelly (left). Ambassador Kelly is the current Chairperson of the WTO General Council. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the WTO, Mr R.G.S.P.K. Wijesekara (left). Ambassador Wijesekara is the current Chairperson of the WTO Committee on Balance-of-Payments Restrictions. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the WTO, Mr Ali Sarfraz Hussain (left). Ambassador Hussain is the current Chairperson of the WTO Committee on Agriculture in Special Session. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Miss Winky So (right), pictured at the reception with the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Peru to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, Mr Elmer José Germán Gonzalo Schialer Salcedo (left). Ambassador Schialer Salcedo is the current Chairperson of the WTO Committee on Trade and Development. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization, Miss Winky So, delivered a speech at the reception. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Government to introduce Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 2026 into LegCo
The Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 2026 was gazetted today (June 26) to introduce a series of reforms to the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) (see Annex).
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau said, "The MCHK performs important functions such as accreditation of local medical school programmes and medical interns' training upon their graduation, registration of medical practitioners, Licensing Examination for non-locally trained medical practitioners, continuing medical education and formulation of professional codes and guidelines, and handling complaints concerning professional conduct of medical practitioners. They are the vital components in ensuring the high quality and high efficiency of the healthcare system in Hong Kong.
"To enhance the executive-led structure and promote good governance, the Health Bureau has proposed to amend the Medical Registration Ordinance (MRO) after a comprehensive review of the provisions, putting forward holistic and targeted reform measures to bring relevant legislations and the professional regulatory regime up to date, supporting the MCHK to discharge their statutory duties in a more effective manner in fulfilling its mission of ensuring justice, maintaining professionalism and protecting the public."
Detailed amendment proposals under the Bill include: (1) reforming the composition of the MCHK to diversify the professional views and include more lay members with healthcare professional backgrounds, maintaining professional autonomy and self-discipline while reflecting different angles in society and promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration; (2) enhancing the MCHK's complaint handling mechanism by making it more independent, fairer, more transparent and efficient, increasing support to the MCHK, and requiring the MCHK to devise and promulgate target timeframes for various stages of complaint handling; (3) strengthen protection for society, including immediately suspending the right to practise of medical practitioners convicted of serious offences; and (4) other relevant amendments to dovetail with the need for medical training, continuing medical education and talent attraction.
Professor Lo stressed, "Handling complaints and conducting disciplinary inquiries are important functions of the MCHK. When the professional competence or conduct of individual medical practitioners may fail to meet the required standard, the MCHK will decide through inquiries whether to impose disciplinary sanctions in accordance with its independent quasi-judicial functions empowered by the MRO. In the drafting of the Bill, the Government made reference to the review carried out by the MCHK upon request by the Government on their complaint handling mechanism, and the Ombudsman's direct investigation operation report on the relevant work of the Secretariat of the MCHK, and met with Legislative Council (LegCo) members who were concerned with the subject, patient organisations, medical training institutions, professional bodies of the medical profession and more. I would like to express my gratitude for their invaluable advice."
The Bill will be introduced into the LegCo for first reading on July 8.
Source: AI-found images