John Lee and Lan Fo'an Discuss Economic Cooperation at APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting in Hong Kong

CE meets Minister of Finance

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the Minister of Finance, Mr Lan Fo'an, at Government House today (October 21) to exchange views on economic and financial development of the Mainland and Hong Kong. Also attending the meeting were the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong; and the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui.

Mr Lee welcomed and thanked Mr Lan for leading a delegation to visit Hong Kong and chairing the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers' Meeting (FMM). The FMM, being the last sectoral ministerial meeting before the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting to be held in Shenzhen in November this year, was of great significance to the outcomes in the financial field of APEC China 2026. The country is the host economy of APEC this year, and the FMM was hosted by the Ministry of Finance and organised for the first time by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. The two-day meeting started yesterday and was successfully held in Hong Kong, during which candid and in-depth exchanges were conducted on key issues in the financial and economic fields, and a series of pragmatic outcomes were achieved.

The meeting adopted and issued the 2026 APEC Finance Ministers’ Joint Statement and the Policy Statement on Digital Infrastructure Financing Across the Asia-Pacific Region, setting a clear direction and providing guidance for deepening financial and economic co-operation among Asia-Pacific economies. The meeting further deepened consensus among the parties in three areas: first, strengthening communication and co-ordination on macroeconomic policies to jointly address external risks and challenges; second, advancing pragmatic fiscal and financial co-operation to support the long-term sustainable development of the Asia-Pacific economy; and third, deepening the process of regional integration and promoting the building of an Asia-Pacific community. The meeting also produced two outcome documents in specialised areas and summarised the programme promoting dialogue for young financial talent across the APEC region.

Mr Lee expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the country for its trust in and support for Hong Kong, as well as its strong affirmation of Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre. Hong Kong actively leveraged the FMM as a platform for international exchange to showcase its unique strengths of connecting with the Mainland and the world, and to deepen its economic and trade exchanges and co-operation with APEC member economies. As an engine of global economic growth, the Asia-Pacific region bears greater responsibilities amid the multiple challenges facing world economic growth. Hong Kong will continue to give full play to its roles as a "super-connector" and a "super value-adder", and work with others to promote regional economic co-operation, prosperity and stability.

Mr Lee said that the National 15th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong in consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial centre. The HKSAR Government announced last month the Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address, proactively aligning with national development strategies, further developing the Renminbi (RMB) business and commodity trading, and consolidating Hong Kong's international competitive advantages. Hong Kong will continue to advance its high-quality development as an international financial centre, deepen mutual access between Hong Kong and Mainland financial markets, and serve the country's high-level financial opening up.

Mr Lee said that the Ministry of Finance has issued RMB sovereign bonds in Hong Kong for consecutive years, and made its inaugural issuance of RMB sovereign green bonds in Hong Kong this year, helping consolidate and enhance Hong Kong's position as the world's offshore RMB business hub. The HKSAR Government will continue to promote the development of Hong Kong's bond market, advance the internationalisation of RMB and further enhance the sustainable finance ecosystem. Mainland financial institutions may leverage Hong Kong's internationalised market, professional services and talent pool to further expand their business. In addition, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will soon establish an office in Hong Kong. As a member of the AIIB, Hong Kong will continue to actively support its work.

CE meets Minister of Finance Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CFS urges public not to consume batch of imported ready-to-eat turkey meat product due to possible temperature abuse

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (October 21) urged the public not to consume a batch of ready-to-eat turkey meat product imported from the United States (US) due to possible temperature abuse during storage. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Oil Braised Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

Brand: Mckenzie

Place of origin: US

Batch number: 26175

Best before date: September 7, 2027

Importer: Etak International Limited

"The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted a notification from the US authorities that the above-mentioned product is being recalled as it might have undergone possible temperature abuse during storage. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers and retailers to follow up. A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batch of the product concerned," a spokesman for the CFS said.

The importer concerned has stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected batch of the product, and initiated a recall according to the CFS’s instructions. Members of the public may call the importer's hotline at 2526 2371 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.

"If meat and poultry products are subjected to temperature abuse during storage, this can facilitate the growth of foodborne pathogens or lead to spoilage. Infected individuals with foodborne pathogens may experience symptoms such as fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhoea. However, severe complications may occur in newborns, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals," the spokesman added.

The spokesman advised members of the public to stop consuming the affected batch of the product and seek medical treatment as soon as possible if they feel unwell after consuming the product concerned.

The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. The investigation is ongoing.

Source: AI-found images