Advisory Committee on Water Supplies begins visit to Dongjiang Water Supply System in Guangdong
The following is issued on behalf of the Advisory Committee on Water Supplies:
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Advisory Committee on Water Supplies begins visit to Dongjiang Water Supply System in Guangdong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Advisory Committee on Water Supplies begins visit to Dongjiang Water Supply System in Guangdong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Advisory Committee on Water Supplies begins visit to Dongjiang Water Supply System in Guangdong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Advisory Committee on Water Supplies begins visit to Dongjiang Water Supply System in Guangdong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
A delegation of the Advisory Committee on Water Supplies (ACWS) departed for Guangdong Province this morning (November 4) to begin a two-day visit to the Dongjiang (DJ) Water Supply System and learn about the latest developments of matters in relation to the DJ water supplied to Hong Kong.
This morning, the delegation visited the Gaoxinsha Reservoir in Nansha, Guangzhou, to see the Pearl River Delta Water Resources Allocation Project. The project, commissioned in 2024, diverts water from the Xijiang River to the eastern part of the Pearl River Delta, providing a new water source for Nansha of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan and other regions, and enabling the DJ and Xijiang Rivers to complement each other. The Committee was pleased to learn that the project will help relieve the demand for DJ water in the cities along the DJ River's course, and will also provide an emergency backup source of water for Hong Kong, thereby enhancing the water security of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and optimising the region's water resources allocation capabilities.
In the afternoon, the delegation proceeded to the Greenway in Huizhou, which runs along the banks of the DJ River, to observe the quality of the DJ water supplied to Hong Kong at a close distance and to receive briefings from the relevant Guangdong authorities on the water quality protection measures. The delegation then visited the DJ River Basin Water Quantity and Quality Monitoring and Control Centre in Huizhou to learn how the Centre leverages an advanced intelligent platform for real-time control of water supply facility operations as well as close monitoring of water quality along its course. The Committee considered that the intelligent platform adopted by the Centre can effectively enhance operational efficiency and incident response capabilities, thereby further safeguarding the stable supply and water quality of the DJ water supplied to Hong Kong.
The delegation will continue its visit tomorrow (November 5) to inspect the intake point of the DJ water supplied to Hong Kong in Dongguan and various major operation points downstream, and to meet with local government officials. The visit will conclude tomorrow afternoon, with the delegation returning to Hong Kong thereafter.
The terms of reference of the ACWS are to advise the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region through the Director of Water Supplies on matters relating to water supplies, including water resources, network management, regulation and control of inside services, water conservation and other operational matters. Its membership comprises academics, green advocates, professionals, representatives from the trade, and officials from related government departments and bureaux.
Advisory Committee on Water Supplies begins visit to Dongjiang Water Supply System in Guangdong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Advisory Committee on Water Supplies begins visit to Dongjiang Water Supply System in Guangdong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Advisory Committee on Water Supplies begins visit to Dongjiang Water Supply System in Guangdong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Advisory Committee on Water Supplies begins visit to Dongjiang Water Supply System in Guangdong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Closing remarks by DSJ at Hong Kong Legal Week 2026: UNCITRAL's Contribution to the International Transport of Goods in the Digital Economy - A Celebration of UNCITRAL@60
Following are the closing remarks by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, at Hong Kong Legal Week 2026: UNCITRAL's Contribution to the International Transport of Goods in the Digital Economy - A Celebration of UNCITRAL@60 today (November 4):
Mr Lee (Principal Legal Officer of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Mr Jae Sung Lee), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
It is my honour to deliver closing remarks as we draw the curtain on this momentous occasion - a celebration of the 60th anniversary of UNCITRAL jointly organised by UNCITRAL and the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy of the Department of Justice (DoJ) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China.
As mentioned during the welcome remarks this morning, UNCITRAL has excellent collaboration with the DoJ. In fact, as mentioned by Professor Cheng (Secretary-General of the International Organization for Mediation, Professor Teresa Cheng) in her keynote speech, Hong Kong has made valuable contributions to the work of UNCITRAL in various aspects and will continue our contributions. In particular, we supported UNCITRAL's contribution to the international transport of goods in the digital economy in the past and we are committed to continuing our contribution in the future.
The contribution of UNCITRAL to the international transport of goods in the digital economy has been thoroughly discussed by the four panels today. With the insights of members of the Judiciary, policy makers, legal scholars and practitioners, as well as stakeholders, we had constructive dialogues in four insightful panels.
The first panel titled "Digitalization and Platformization of Trade Finance - Past, Present & Future", set the stage by examining the transformative journey of trade finance. The speakers traced the evolution from traditional paper-based trade to the emergence of paperless trade, highlighting both the opportunities and the legal challenges that accompany this shift. It became clear that UNCITRAL's work on digital platform, digital payments and digital assets has been instrumental in providing the foundational principles that facilitate digitalisation.
The second panel, "Enabling Paperless Trade - Applying the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (2017) (MLETR) to Support Single Window Operations", delved into the practical application of an important UNCITRAL instrument on electronic commerce. The discussion underscored how MLETR serves as a catalyst to enable paperless trade, facilitating the use of electronic documents in different industries to enhance efficiency. We have learned the experience of Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong on how MLTER has been implemented domestically.
In the afternoon, we had our third panel exploring "The Negotiable Cargo Document (NCD) as a New Tool for Trade Finance - the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents (New York, 2025)". This session celebrated the newly signed NCD Convention that bridges the gap between transport and trade finance. It facilitates the standardisation and unification for international transport, which unlocks liquidity in supply chains, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises and landlocked countries. The panelists shared the pilot projects of the transport and banking sectors and emphasised the importance of widespread adoption of this Convention to foster trust among stakeholders in the global trade ecosystem.
Finally, the fourth panel addressed "Plugging a Gap in the International Legal Regime for the Protection of Maritime Creditors - the United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships". The panelists highlighted the need for a harmonised legal regime to protect the stakeholders, from shipowners, financiers, to lienholders, by securing the effects of a judicial sale conferring clean title on the purchaser as vessels navigate internationally, and the benefits for international shipping.
As shown by these four panel discussions, we have already seen UNCITRAL's enduring contribution to the international transport of goods in the digital economy. They remind us that international co-operation is the bedrock of promoting a seamless global trading system. As we celebrate UNCITRAL's six decades of achievements, we are also called upon to look ahead - to embrace digitalisation, to promote legal harmonisation, and to secure that no stakeholder is left behind in this journey.
Ladies and gentlemen, as it comes to the close of the conference today, I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the speakers, moderators, panelists and participants who have made this event a resounding success. Special thanks go to UNCITRAL for its unwavering dedication to the progressive harmonisation, unification and modernisation of international trade law.
While today's event is closed now, other events of the Hong Kong Legal Week are still ongoing. I have learnt that some of you will also participate in the Fourth Legal Forum on Interconnectivity and Development tomorrow, and I look forward to seeing you then. I also look forward to seeing you at many other sessions that await us throughout this week. Thank you once again for your participation and contribution.
Closing remarks by DSJ at Hong Kong Legal Week 2026: UNCITRAL's Contribution to the International Transport of Goods in the Digital Economy - A Celebration of UNCITRAL@60 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
