John Lee Signs Free Trade Agreement with Peru During APEC Visit, Strengthens Ties with ASEAN Nations

2024-11-16 10:00 Last Updated At：13:08

CE attends APEC meetings in Peru

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, continued his visit in Lima, Peru, on November 15 (Lima time) to participate in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) activities, witness the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Hong Kong and Peru, and meet with leaders of Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore in turn.

Click to Gallery

CE attends APEC meetings in Peru (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

More Images

CE attends APEC meetings in Peru (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

In the morning, Mr Lee participated in the APEC Leaders' Informal Dialogue with Guests. In his remarks, he said that Hong Kong, as an international trade, financial and professional services centre, can share its experience in digital transformation and sustainable finance in contributing to the acceleration of regional energy transition.

Mr Lee highlighted that Hong Kong has actively participated in the Belt and Road Initiative to promote cross-border collaboration in trade and investment as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Hong Kong will continue to actively engage in the development of APEC, with a view to strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships with other member economies and jointly develop an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific community, he added.

Afterwards, Mr Lee met with the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Mr Lee said he is pleased to meet with the Prime Minister again since they last met during his visit to Malaysia in July last year. Since Hong Kong and Malaysia had agreed to promote diversified co-operation, officials from the two sides have conducted multiple reciprocal visits, further enhancing exchanges between the governments, business sectors, and people of the two places. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner, and Malaysia is Hong Kong's third-largest trading partner among member states of the ASEAN. Hong Kong treasures the relations with Malaysia and is planning to establish an Economic and Trade Office in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, to strengthen its co-operation with the ASEAN. Mr Lee congratulated Malaysia for its upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN next year and expressed hope that Malaysia will continue to support Hong Kong's early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

In the afternoon, Mr Lee participated in the APEC Leaders' Dialogue with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and a working lunch, where Hong Kong, China's representative to ABAC, Ms Marjorie Yang, also attended. During the discussion session, Mr Lee exchanged views with the President of Chile, Mr Gabriel Boric, on topics such as the digital economy, digital trade, artificial intelligence development, and the multilateral trading system.

During the meeting, Mr Lee congratulated Mr Luong Cuong on his recent appointment as the President of Vietnam. Noting that Hong Kong and Vietnam have always maintained close bilateral trade relations, Mr Lee said Vietnam is the seventh-largest trading partner of Hong Kong and the second-largest one among the member states of the ASEAN. He added that during his visit to Vietnam this July, the governments and enterprises of the two places signed 30 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) in areas including trade, investment, education and tourism, yielding fruitful results.

Mr Lee then met with the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of Singapore, Mr Lawrence Wong, to exchange views on issues of mutual interest. Noting the close relationship between Hong Kong and Singapore, Mr Lee said that Singapore is the fourth largest trading partner of Hong Kong and Hong Kong's largest trading partner in the ASEAN, and has also ranked first among ASEAN countries as the largest place of origin in terms of the number of companies present in Hong Kong. Mr Lee noted that, during his visit to Singapore in July last year, enterprises and institutions of Hong Kong and Singapore signed seven MOUs on areas including commerce and trade, financial services, as well as innovation and technology. Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Heng Swee Keat, visited Hong Kong in April this year, which enhanced the interactions between the governments, people and the business sectors of the two places. Hong Kong will continue to strengthen multifaceted co-operation with Singapore, including the areas of green and digital economies as well as other emerging industries, Mr Lee added. He also expressed his gratitude to Singapore for its continued support for Hong Kong's early accession to the RCEP.

Afterwards, Mr Lee and the President of Peru, Ms Dina Boluarte, jointly witnessed the signing of the FTA between Hong Kong and Peru. Highlighting that Peru is Hong Kong's fifth-largest trading partner in Latin America, Mr Lee said the FTA offers significant strategic value to both economies and allows Hong Kong to enter the promising market of Peru. The FTA will ensure the legal certainty of better market access for manufacturers, service providers and investors of Hong Kong and Peru, creating new business opportunities and boosting bilateral trade and investment flows, he added.

In the evening, Mr Lee attended a Gala Dinner hosted by the organiser for participating leaders, and watched cultural performances.

On November 16 (Lima time), Mr Lee will attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting Retreat and meet with representatives from the Peruvian business sector.

TACO Cracks Down on Illegal Waterpipe Smoking in Mongkok During Pipepurge Operation

2024-11-16 12:00 Last Updated At：12:08

DH's enforcement operation "Pipepurge" against waterpipe smoking in no-smoking areas

The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health (DH) conducted an enforcement operation codenamed "Pipepurge" last night (November 15) against illegal waterpipe smoking activities in no-smoking areas in Mongkok.

During the operation, officers from TACO (including plainclothes officers) issued a total of two fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to persons illegally smoking waterpipes at one bar. TACO's investigation is ongoing, and prosecution may also be taken against operators of the bar who are suspected of contravening the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371) (the Ordinance) and the Criminal Procedure Ordinance (Cap. 221) for aiding and abetting smoking offences. TACO will also notify the Liquor Licensing Board of the above-mentioned violation.

Under the Ordinance, conducting a smoking act in a statutory no-smoking area (such as indoor areas of bars or restaurants) is prohibited. Any person doing a smoking act in statutory no-smoking areas is liable to a fixed penalty of $1,500. Moreover, where smoking products (including waterpipes) are sold, in bars or otherwise, the restrictions on the promotion and sale of smoking products stipulated in the Ordinance apply. Offenders are liable on summary conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000. Venue managers of statutory no-smoking areas are empowered by the Ordinance to request a smoking offender cease the act; if the offender is not co-operative, the manager may contact the Police for assistance.

Also, under the Criminal Procedure Ordinance, any person who aids, abets, counsels or procures the commission by another person of any offence shall be guilty of the like offence. A spokesman for the DH appeals to operators and venue mangers of bars/restaurants not to assist any person in breaching the statutory smoking prohibitions, or provide a waterpipe apparatus and tobacco to customers for use.

The DH spokesman stressed that TACO will follow up and investigate every complaint about illegal smoking, and will conduct inspections and take enforcement actions in the venue concerned. TACO will also conduct joint inspections and enforcement action (including plainclothes operations) with other law enforcement agencies from time to time with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement. The DH will continue to closely monitor and take stringent enforcement actions to tackle illegal waterpipe smoking. In the past 12 months, TACO conducted 148 operations against illegal waterpipe smoking activities in no-smoking areas. A total of 176 FPNs were issued against smoking offenders, while 88 summonses were issued to staff members and operators of the bars/restaurants for other related offences.

The spokesman said that waterpipe is a smoking product, and its combustion of fuel (e.g. charcoal) releases carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas that is a by-product from incomplete combustion of any fuel containing carbon, such as charcoals. Exposure to a low concentration of carbon monoxide can lead to a range of symptoms such as dizziness, headache, tiredness and nausea; whereas exposure to a high concentration of carbon monoxide can lead to impaired vision, disturbed co-ordination, unconsciousness, brain damage or even death. People should seek medical attention immediately if they suspect they are developing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Due to deeper inhalation and longer smoking sessions, waterpipe users usually inhale more toxins than they would when smoking cigarettes. A typical one-hour waterpipe smoking session exposes the user to 100 to 200 times the volume of smoke inhaled from a single conventional cigarette. Moreover, sharing a waterpipe apparatus increases the risk of transmitting infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis. Furthermore, areas in bars/restaurants where waterpipes are handled or kept have been found to be unhygienic during previous enforcement operations. The spokesman cautions against waterpipe smoking and the use of other smoking products. Smokers should quit smoking as early as possible for their own health and that of others. For more information on the hazards of waterpipe smoking, please visit www.livetobaccofree.hk/pdfs/waterpipe_leaflet_new.pdf.

John Lee Signs Free Trade Agreement with Peru During APEC Visit, Strengthens Ties with ASEAN Nations

HK