Hong Kong Hosts Seminars on CPC Plenary Session Spirit with Over 1,200 Participants

HKSAR Government today holds two seminars on spirit of Third Plenary Session of 20th CPC Central Committee (with photos/video)

Upon the invitation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, ​the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council invited the members of the publicity delegation to visit Hong Kong to speak on the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC Central Committee). The HKSAR Government today (August 26) held two seminars to promote the spirit of the Plenary Session at the Central Government Offices and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, with more than 1 200 participants. The members of the publicity delegation who visited Hong Kong to speak on the spirit of the Plenary Session are the Vice-chairperson of the Constitution and Law Committee of the National People's Congress and the Chairman of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Mr Shen Chunyao, and the Secretary of the CPC Leadership Group of the Ministry of Commerce and the Minister of Commerce, Mr Wang Wentao.

The two seminars were hosted by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee. The participants of the seminar held this morning at the Central Government Offices included HKSAR government officials, Members of the Executive Council and Legislative Council, representatives from the Judiciary, and representatives from important statutory bodies; and the participants of the seminar held this afternoon at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, were from various sectors of the community, including Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress, HKSAR members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, representatives from major political organisations and community groups, industrial and commercial sectors, professional sectors, education sectors, media organisations and youth representatives. The seminar held this afternoon has been broadcasted live by RTHK and the government website.

Addressing the seminar, the Chief Executive expressed his sincere gratitude to the Central Government for attaching great importance and offering staunch support and to the members of the publicity delegation for visiting Hong Kong to speak to all sectors of the community on the spirit of the Plenary Session. The participants and members of the public have benefited greatly by having more profound and deeper understanding of the spirit of the Plenary Session.

He said, "The Plenary Session does not only lead the country towards Chinese modernisation and high-quality development, but is also crucial to the development, prosperity and stability of Hong Kong in the long run. History has proven that Hong Kong has been playing an active role in the country's reform and opening up. Facing the complicated international landscape, Hong Kong will achieve better development through further reforms, including further leveraging its distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the Motherland and being closely connected to the world under 'One Country, Two Systems' principle, as well as constantly striving innovative breakthroughs in policies, mechanisms and systems, and continuously reinforcing and enhancing its own advantages in the process of promoting its own development and highly integrated development with the Mainland. This enables Hong Kong to make good use of its strengths to serve the country's needs and to facilitate the country's effort in going global while attracting foreign investment to the Mainland market, in order to strive for promoting the high-quality development of the country and Hong Kong and the advancement of Chinese modernisation."

The Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, and the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Zheng Yanxiong, said in his speech that the Resolution of the Plenary Session relating to Hong Kong has a very heavy weight, consisting the Central Government's care, favour and high hopes for Hong Kong.It will provide a strategic pivot for Hong Kong to better play its unique role and bring new major opportunities in the a new stage of "advancing from stability to prosperity". The members of the publicity delegation's elaboration helps the public to gain a better understanding on the spirit of the Plenary Session.

Mr Shen expressed at the seminar that he felt that Hong Kong people, various sectors and the governance team were very concerned about the Spirit of the Third Plenary Session, which fully reflected Hong Kong people's concern for the Central Government's major plans and national development, and Hong Kong's desire to play a role in it. Mr Shen closely focused on President Xi Jinping's important speech at the Plenary Session and the Plenary Session's Resolution, from a deep understanding of the theme of the Plenary Session and further comprehensively deepen reform and the importance of promoting Chinese modernisation, deeply understand the guiding ideology, overall goals and major principles of further comprehensively deepening reform, comprehensively master measures and tasks proposed in the Resolution, and go all out to implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session and explain it in depth.

Mr Wang emphasised the importance of fully and faithfully understanding the major reform measures put forward by the Resolution and made in-depth elaborations on "economic structural reform as the spearhead". He also emphasised that Hong Kong's role in the country's reform, opening-up and the progress of modernisation process has been, is and will continue to be unique and important. As Hong Kong enters a new stage of "advancing from stability to prosperity," it must integrate into the tide of reform, actively align with national strategies such as the "15th Five-Year Plan" and the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and fully seize the historical opportunities brought about by national development. Hong Kong must strive to be a "super connector" and "super value-adder" under the strong support of the motherland while being closely connected to the world, and to continuously create a wonderful chapter of "One Country, Two Systems" on the new reform journey.

The Chief Executive hoped that all participants and the general public would learn and understand the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, make initiatives to understand, respond to and embrace changes while being proactive, pragmatic, perseverant and dedicated, shoulder the responsibility of further deepening reform comprehensively, integrate the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee in their respective positions, in a bid to make greater contributions to the building of a great country in all respects and advancing toward national rejuvenation through Chinese modernisation.

During the interactive session, participants exchanged their views actively. To allow members of the public to learn about the spirit of the Plenary Session, the Government has arranged RTHK as well as the government website to broadcast live the second seminar. The full version of the second seminar will also be uploaded to the website of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (www.cmab.gov.hk/en/home/index.htm). The HKSAR Government urged members of the public to watch the seminar so as to get a full understanding of the content and significance of the spirit.

HKSAR Government today holds two seminars on spirit of Third Plenary Session of 20th CPC Central Committee (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKSAR Government today holds two seminars on spirit of Third Plenary Session of 20th CPC Central Committee (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKSAR Government today holds two seminars on spirit of Third Plenary Session of 20th CPC Central Committee (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKSAR Government today holds two seminars on spirit of Third Plenary Session of 20th CPC Central Committee (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKSAR Government today holds two seminars on spirit of Third Plenary Session of 20th CPC Central Committee (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Imported prepackaged noodle and pepper sauce samples detected with sulphur dioxide

​The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (September 13) announced that a sample of imported prepackaged noodles was detected with sulphur dioxide, a preservative, at a level exceeding the legal limit, and the functional class and name of the additive were also not declared on the food label. In addition, the CFS found that a sample of imported prepackaged pepper sauce contained sulphur dioxide, but the functional class and name of the additive were not declared on the food label. Members of the public should not consume the affected batches of the products. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batches of the products immediately if they possess any of them.

Product details are as follows:

Product name of noodles: Mee

Brand: MY MURNI

Place of origin: Malaysia

Net weight: 450 grams

Use-by date: August 27, 2024

Importer: Grace Cup International Trading Company Limited

Hotline: 3990 2814

Product name of pepper sauce: PEPPER SAUCE

Brand: TABASCO

Place of origin: The United States

Volume: 150 millilitres

Best-before date: August 30, 2028

Distributor: Sims Trading Co., Ltd.

Hotline: 2262 1559

"The CFS collected the above-mentioned noodle and pepper sauce samples at the import level and from a retail outlet in Wan Chai respectively for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test results showed that the noodle sample contained sulphur dioxide at a level of 68 parts per million, exceeding the legal limit of 20 ppm under the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD), and the functional class and name of the additive were also not declared on the food label. As for the other pepper sauce sample, although the level of sulphur dioxide found to be contained in it is below the statutory maximum permitted level, the functional class and the name of the additive were not declared on the food label of the sample," a spokesman for the CFS said.

The CFS has informed the vendor, importer and distributor concerned of the irregularities and instructed them to stop sales and remove from shelves the affected batches of the products. The importer and distributor concerned have initiated recalls according to the CFS's instructions. Members of the public may call the respective hotlines during office hours for enquiries about the recalls.

The spokesman reminded the food trade that the use of preservatives in food must comply with the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD). Furthermore, the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W) require that for all prepackaged food for sale in Hong Kong containing sulphite in a concentration of 10 ppm or more, the functional class of the sulphite and its name shall be specified in the list of ingredients. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment upon conviction.

Sulphur dioxide is a preservative which can be used in a variety of foods including dried vegetables, dried fruits, pickled vegetables and salted fish products. Sulphur dioxide is water soluble, and most of it can be removed through washing and cooking. However, susceptible individuals who are allergic to this preservative may experience breathing difficulties, headaches and nausea after consumption.

The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incidents and take appropriate action. Investigations are ongoing.

Source: AI-generated images