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Today was the fourth day of phased arrangements for residents of seven blocks of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po to return to their units. The second round of the phased arrangements also commenced today. The Government said 424 people from 115 households in Wang Cheong House and Wang Yan House turned up, and the access arrangements were carried out in an orderly manner. Five low-zone floors of Wang Cheong House and ten low-zone floors of Wang Yan House were opened today. Concluding the arrangements, the Government said a total of 429 people from 117 households registered to return to their units today through the "one social worker per household" service, while 424 people from 115 households actually turned up. The average time residents spent entering and leaving the building today was two hours and 13 minutes, with the shortest time being 10 minutes and the longest three hours and 42 minutes. About 40% of the residents stayed in the building for less than two hours, while around 10% of the residents stayed for less than one hour. A total of 153 people from 61 households went up and down the building more than once. Among them, 76 people from 24 households made one additional trip, 34 people from 15 households made two additional trips, 24 people from 11 households made three additional trips, 7 people from 5 households made four additional trips, while 12 people from 6 households made five additional trips or above. Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing today spoke to two households returning to their units at Wang Cheong House. Both households said their units were not seriously damaged and that many items could be retrieved, and they hoped to return to their units one more time to collect more belongings. Mr Cheuk expressed understanding of their wishes and said the Government is actively following up on the arrangements for them to return to their units again. The integrated enquiry counter today received eight cases requesting police assistance and four cases involving residents seeking help due to physical discomfort, as well as one case seeking psychological counselling services. The eight cases requesting police assistance involved suspected loss of property, including watches, jewellery, cash and gold items. Officers were immediately deployed to assist in searches, and in six of them, Police successfully assisted in recovering the lost property. In one case, the flat was seriously damaged, and after investigation, the residents believed that the property may have been burned. For the remaining one case, there were no signs of ransacking in the unit, and the residents could not provide details on the property concerned. Adjustments were made on-site today in response to an increase in occasional showers. Additional marquees were set up outside the waiting area for residents at Tai Po Baptist Public School, creating a covered pedestrian walkway to provide shelter from the rain and facilitate residents in transporting their belongings to the vehicles. The Government outlined that it deploys over 1,000 personnel from various departments each day, including Police, the Civil Aid Service, the Fire Services Department, the Auxiliary Medical Service, the Home Affairs Department, the Social Welfare Department, the Housing Department, and the Housing Bureau, and staff mobilised from other departments as well as District Services & Community Care Teams members to fully support residents returning to their units.
Today was the third day of phased arrangements for residents of seven blocks of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po to return to their units. The Government said 264 people from 78 households turned up and the access arrangements were carried out in an orderly manner and operated smoothly. Eleven high-zone floors of Wang Sun House were opened today. Concluding the arrangements, the Government said a total of 271 people from 79 households registered to return to their units today through the "one social worker per household" service, while 264 people from 78 households actually turned up. The average time residents spent entering and leaving the building today was two hours and 34 minutes, with the shortest time being 50 minutes and the longest four hours and five minutes. About one fourth of the residents stayed in the building for less than two hours, while around 1.5% of them stayed for less than one hour. A total of 45 people from 21 households went up and down the building more than once. Among them, 32 people from 14 households made one additional trip, seven people from four households made two additional trips, and four people from two households made three additional trips, with the highest record being two people from one household making four additional trips. The integrated enquiry counter today received seven cases requesting police assistance and five cases involving residents seeking help due to physical discomfort, as well as three cases seeking psychological counselling services. The seven cases requesting police assistance involved suspected loss of property, including laptop computers, jewellery and gold items. Officers were immediately deployed to assist in searches, and lost property was recovered in six cases. For the remaining one case, there were no signs of ransacking in the unit, and the residents could not provide details on the property concerned. The Government outlined that it deploys over 1,000 personnel from various departments each day, including Police, the Civil Aid Service, the Fire Services Department, the Auxiliary Medical Service, the Home Affairs Department, the Social Welfare Department, the Housing Department, and the Housing Bureau, and staff mobilised from other departments, as well as District Services & Community Care Teams members to fully support residents returning to their units.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam and Supreme People's Court (SPC) Vice-president Mao Zhonghua yesterday signed a new arrangement to enhance the mutual service of judicial documents in civil and commercial proceedings between the Mainland and Hong Kong. The Arrangement on Mutual Service of Judicial Documents in Civil & Commercial Proceedings between the Mainland & the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region aims to promote the alignment of legal mechanisms and rules between the two jurisdictions. While a similar arrangement has been in place for 27 years, the volume of service requests has surged in recent years. However, the success rate under the existing system has remained relatively low. In response to demand from the legal sector and the public, the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Judiciary and the SPC finalised the enhanced mechanism following detailed discussions. The new arrangement introduces additional modes of service, offering greater flexibility and efficiency. These measures are designed to ensure the timely handling of cross-boundary cases and better protect the rights of parties in both places, reflecting the increasingly close judicial ties between the Mainland and Hong Kong. The DoJ will brief the Legislative Council Panel on Administration of Justice & Legal Services on details of the new arrangement on April 27. The new measures will come into effect once the necessary legislative procedures in Hong Kong are completed. The DoJ added that it will work closely with the Judiciary to implement the amendments as soon as practicable.
The independent committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po announced today that a fourth round of evidential hearings, in which oral evidence will be received from witnesses, will be held from May 6 to 8. Three days of hearings will be conducted, in Cantonese, from 10am to 1pm and from 2.15pm to 4.30pm each day at the Multi-purpose Hall, 3/F, City Gallery in Central. Simultaneous interpretation in Putonghua and English will be provided. A total of about 360 seats will be available for public observation. About half of these will be set aside for Wang Fuk Court residents on a priority basis. Those wishing to attend are required to pre-register online from 10am on April 23 to 10am on April 26. Successful registrants will receive a confirmation issued by the committee secretariat no later than April 30.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam called on the Supreme People's Court and central ministries respectively in Beijing for two consecutive days to discuss and exchange views on the progress and work of the key policy initiatives of the Department of Justice (DoJ). This morning, Mr Lam visited the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) Beijing Representative Office to learn about how the office assists the HKIAC in further developing the Mainland market following its establishment in Beijing. The opportunities brought about by the revised Arbitration Law of the People's Republic of China were also discussed. Mr Lam then went to the State-owned Assets Supervision & Administration Commission of the State Council to discuss opportunities for co-operation in areas such as capacity building programmes and talent training between the two sides. He also met Vice Minister of Justice Wu Zeng to discuss issues relating to legal matters concerning the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), including "allowing Hong Kong-invested enterprises to choose for arbitration to be seated in Hong Kong", the development of the GBA lawyers' scheme, and the co-operation between Mainland and Hong Kong law firms. At the start of his visit yesterday morning, Mr Lam called on the Supreme People's Court to meet President of the Supreme People's Court Zhang Jun. They discussed the mutual legal assistance arrangements and training for foreign-related legal talent between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Mainland. In the afternoon, Mr Lam called on the Ministry of Commerce where he introduced to Deputy China International Trade Representative Jiang Chenghua the DoJ's measures to strengthen Hong Kong's professional services sectors in supporting Mainland enterprises going global, and ways to encourage Mainland enterprises to adopt Hong Kong law as the applicable law while expanding overseas and to choose Hong Kong as the destination for dispute resolution. During the meeting with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying, both sides exchanged views on issues such as supporting the Hong Kong SAR and the DoJ in collaborating with international legal organisations and enhancing Hong Kong’s status as the centre for international legal and dispute resolution services.
Today was the second day of phased arrangements for residents of seven blocks of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po to return to their units. The Government said 275 people from 78 households turned up and the access arrangements were carried out in an orderly manner and operated smoothly. Ten middle-zone floors of Wang Sun House were opened today. Concluding the arrangements, the Government said a total of 271 people of 77 households registered to return to their units today through the "one social worker per household" service, while 275 people of 78 households actually turned up, including one household which reported sick and was absent yesterday. The average time residents spent entering and leaving the building today was one hour and 48 minutes, with the shortest time being 21 minutes and the longest three hours and 25 minutes. About 13% of the residents stayed in the building for less than one hour. A total of 34 people of 14 households went up and down the building more than once within three hours. Among them, 23 people of eight households made one additional trip, eight people of four households made two additional trips, while one person of one household made four additional trips, with the highest record of one person of one household making five additional trips and another making four additional trips. The integrated enquiry counter today received 11 cases of requesting police assistance and two cases involving residents seeking help due to physical discomfort, as well as two cases seeking psychological counselling services. The 11 cases of requesting police assistance involved suspected loss of property, including camera, jewellery and gold items. Officers were immediately deployed to assist in searches, and lost property was recovered in four cases. In another four, the units concerned were severely damaged and residents believed after investigation that the property might have been destroyed by fire. For the remaining three cases, there were no signs of ransacking in the units and the residents could not provide details on the property concerned. After reviewing the experience from the first day of arrangements, two adjustments have been made on site starting today. The first adjustment involved expanding the personal protective equipment donning area at Kwong Fuk Community Hall, adding more tables and chairs, and setting up more marquees for rain protection. The second adjustment involved adding more tables and chairs in the resident waiting area at Tai Po Baptist Public School, and expanding the on-site storage area to facilitate residents while they wait for transport. The Government outlined that it deploys over 1,000 personnel from various departments each day, including Police, the Civil Aid Service, the Fire Services Department, the Auxiliary Medical Service, the Home Affairs Department, the Social Welfare Department, the Housing Department, and the Housing Bureau, and staff mobilised from other departments, as well as District Services & Community Care Teams members to fully support residents returning to their units.
Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki today chaired a meeting of the interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements to co-ordinate preparations for visitors from the Mainland during the Labour Day Golden Week from May 1 to 5. Mr Chan stressed that the period is expected to see an increase in the number visitor arrivals. “The Government will make good preparations for receiving visitors, as well as maintaining close liaison with relevant organisations and the travel trade to prepare well for crowd management, information dissemination and arrangements of public transportation and boundary control points (BCPs), with a view to responding promptly to various kinds of emergencies and ensuring the smooth operation of various aspects in receiving visitors and offering them a high-quality experience,” he added. The Immigration Department (ImmD) has estimated that approximately 980,000 Mainland visitors will enter Hong Kong via sea, land and air control points during the five-day holiday. Meanwhile, the Travel Industry Authority and the trade expect about 770 inbound tour groups to visit the city during period. An interdepartmental joint command centre, comprising Police, the ImmD, the Customs & Excise Department and other relevant departments will be activated from May 1 to 5 to monitor real-time conditions at various control points. The centre will maintain close liaison with Mainland port authorities via established hotlines and notification mechanisms. This allows for timely contingency actions and the flexible deployment of manpower at BCPs. Additionally, the Security Bureau will activate its Emergency Monitoring & Support Centre during the period to oversee public order at BCPs and coordinate interdepartmental follow-up actions. Regarding public transport, the MTR Corporation will enhance East Rail Line services at various times from April 30 to May 5 to accommodate residents and visitors. During peak hours, the frequency of shuttle buses for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) and Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang route will be increased to approximately one minute and two minutes respectively. The Transport Department has also developed contingency plans with border control authorities to implement traffic management measures at the HZMB, Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang and Shenzhen Bay ports. These measures include providing dedicated lanes for public transport vehicles to ensure uninterrupted service. To manage the anticipated surge of visitors to Sai Kung East Country Park, Police will deploy uniformed officers at strategic locations – including Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung Man Yee Road and the High Island Reservoir East Dam – for traffic and crowd management during peak periods. The Transport Department has co-ordinated with the green minibus operator to enhance service on Route No. 9A, from Pak Tam Chung to East Dam. Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung and Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law also attended.
To promote National Security Education Day, the Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) held an open day at its headquarters in Ho Man Tin today. The event aimed to enable members of the public to learn about the work of the AMS in safeguarding national security, to enhance public awareness of national security and to further deepen their understanding of its daily operations. Addressing the opening ceremony, Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui said that safeguarding national security is the common responsibility of all. He highlighted that national security is not confined to a single area, but is closely linked to finance, public health, and everyday community life. Among the 20 major fields of national security, biosecurity is closely related to the work of the AMS. The AMS’ services include non-emergency ambulance transfer services, first aid coverage during large-scale public events, as well as duty at country parks and cycling tracks. Mr Hui said the AMS spares no effort in safeguarding the safety and health of the general public and thanked its members for their unwavering dedication and commitment to protecting the public. The open day featured national security-themed game booths, first aid demonstrations, band foot drills, medical and health seminars, health screenings, as well as displays of ambulances and first aid bicycles.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam will depart for Beijing tomorrow to attend meetings with various central ministries and authorities to discuss the work of the Department of Justice. He will be accompanied on the visit by Director of Public Prosecutions Maggie Yang, Law Officer (International Law) James Ding, Solicitor General Llewellyn Mui, Law Officer (Civil Law) Clifford Tavares, and government counsel from various legal divisions. Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong on April 24. During his absence, Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan will be the Acting Secretary.
To support National Security Education Day, the Immigration Service Institute of Training & Development (ISITD) and the Hong Kong Customs College held open days today. The ISITD’s open day aimed to showcase the Immigration Department's (ImmD) unwavering commitment to fending off national security risks and firmly guarding the country's southern gateway, raise public awareness of national security, and strengthen public sense of national identity. Thematic exhibitions and interactive booths were set up to introduce the public to the technologies used by the ImmD in areas such as the detection of forged documents, counter-terrorism operations, management of detention centres and tactical equipment. The ISITD also opened training facilities, including the mock immigration clearance hall and the mock courtroom for members of the public to gain a deeper understanding of the ImmD's work in safeguarding national security. It has drawn the participation of over 2,500 citizens. Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki attended the open day and toured the exhibition booths and interacted with the public. He also encouraged members of the Immigration Service to continue to uphold their mission and remain steadfast in safeguarding national security. As for the Hong Kong Customs College Open Day, apart from members of the public, dignitaries of the community, youth groups and more than 2,000 students from 82 schools were also invited. More than 7,000 admission tickets were distributed. Visitors enjoyed not only performances by the Customs Detector Dog Team, the Customs Pop Band and the Dragon and Lion Dance Team, but also the display of firearms and weapons, as well as an exhibition of customs clearance equipment. Secretary for Justice Paul Lam also attended the event.