SCMA Visits Shenzhen to Discuss Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and Strengthen Cooperation with Qianhai Authority

SCMA visits Shenzhen

The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Miss Janice Tse Siu-wa, visited Shenzhen today (July 20) to meet with leaders of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, the Shenzhen Municipal Government and the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality (Qianhai Authority) to gather their views in preparing for Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and to learn about the latest developments in Qianhai.

Miss Tse met with member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee and Director General of the Qianhai Authority, Mr Wang Shourui, and the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Shenzhen, Ms Li Lirong, to explore ways to deepen co-operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhenwith regards to Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan, and to support Qianhai in continuing to leverage its role as a major co-operation platform to pursue more policy breakthroughs on a pilot basis.

"The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is working at full speed to draw up Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan, which will set out the city's development vision and strategic directions for the next five years. The Plan will definitely have a close connection with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), of which Hong Kong is a part. Hong Kong will work more closely with Shenzhen to jointly explore forward-looking and strategic development directions, and to leverage respective strengths to promote the development of the GBA," said Miss Tse.

The Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Miss Pamela Lam, was among the officials joining the visit.

The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Miss Janice Tse Siu-wa (second left) today (July 20) met with member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee and Director General of the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality, Mr Wang Shourui (second right), and the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Shenzhen, Ms Li Lirong (first right), in Shenzhen. The Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Miss Pamela Lam (third left), also joined the meeting. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Miss Janice Tse Siu-wa, today (July 20) met with leaders of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee and the Shenzhen Municipal Government in Shenzhen. Photo shows Miss Tse (fourth right) and the Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Miss Pamela Lam (fourth left), with member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee and Director General of the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality, Mr Wang Shourui (centre), and the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Shenzhen, Ms Li Lirong (third right), and other representatives after the meeting. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possesssing duty-not-paid cigarettes

An incoming female passenger was sentenced to two months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (July 21) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted an incoming 31-year-old Mainland female passenger at the Lo Wu Control Point on May 24 and seized 10 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes from her personal baggage. The duty-not-paid cigarettes had an estimated market value of about $41,000 and a duty potential of about $33,000. The female passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence, noting that even a first-time offender may still be imprisoned. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Members of the public should not defy the law.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities 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).

An incoming female passenger was sentenced to two months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (July 21) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases