InvestHK concludes fruitful Middle East visit to deepen international exchanges and co-operation
Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) Mr Charles Ng yesterday (April 10) concluded his visit to the Middle East, covering Riyadh, Jeddah and Dubai, highlighting Hong Kong's role as a strategic gateway for Middle Eastern enterprises to expand in the Asia-Pacific region including Mainland China.
During the visit, Mr Ng met with business leaders, family office representatives and industry stakeholders across Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, including representatives from Investopia. He also attended a series of high-level business roundtables entitled Hong Kong Growth Dialogues: Building Asia's Future Super-Corridor, co-organised with Asia House. He also met with local media and elaborated on Hong Kong's business advantages.
Mr Ng said, "Hong Kong, as a global financial centre, an innovation and technology base, and a 'super connector' between Mainland China and international markets, offers abundant business opportunities from recent key developments, including the Northern Metropolis, the Airport City Skytopia and West Kowloon Cultural District, etc. We welcome businesses from the Middle East to capitalise on the opportunities our city offers."
He added, "Hong Kong’s strategic position in Asia, coupled with the Middle East's long-term strategies, such as Saudi Vision 2030 and UAE Centennial 2071, fosters collaboration and shared economic growth. By leveraging Hong Kong's business advantages, we can strengthen co-operation in various areas, including finance, technology, trade, sustainability and tourism amid a fast-changing global economic landscape."
Hong Kong and the Middle East are deepening financial and economic ties, creating powerful synergies for cross-border investment and shared growth. Recent developments, including cross-listed ETFs (exchange-traded funds) and the recognition of key Middle Eastern stock exchanges as Recognised Stock Exchanges, underscore the growing integration of capital markets between two regions. During the visit, Mr Ng also promoted Hong Kong's Islamic finance capabilities, citing its successful issuance of three government sukuk and a level playing field for Shariah-compliant products through tax neutrality measures.
Participants at the events expressed keen interest in Hong Kong's business environment and connectivity.Vice President of the Logistics Division at Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo Group Mrs Saffia Abdulla Kanoo said, "I gained valuable insights into Hong Kong and its key sectors through the roundtable discussions. I was particularly impressed by the city's robust financial infrastructure, strong rule of law, and its role as a hub for innovation and capital flows. The session was highly informative and engaging, inspiring me to further explore the opportunities available in Hong Kong."
InvestHK concludes fruitful Middle East visit to deepen international exchanges and co-operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
InvestHK concludes fruitful Middle East visit to deepen international exchanges and co-operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Government sets up inter-departmental dedicated team to follow up on suspected closure of private healthcare facilities
As regards the recent suspected closure of certain private healthcare facilities, the Government has set up an inter-departmental dedicated team to ensure that cases are handled as soon as possible and members of the public involved are provided with assistance. The inter-departmental dedicated team comprises representatives from the Security Bureau, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Department of Health (DH) and the Consumer Council (Council).
Customs is actively looking into this incident and is conducting investigations into offences under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) regarding the unfair trade practices. If there is any violation of the TDO, Customs will take appropriate enforcement actions. As at 4pm today (May 2), Customs and the police received 312 related reports and the Council received 157 related complaints. The Council urges the responsible persons of the relevant private healthcare facilities to explain as soon as possible whether it has closed down and the subsequent arrangements to address consumers' concerns. Consumers are advised to call the Council's hotline at 2929 2222 if they are in doubt.
Customs appeals to members of the public who have purchased prepaid services (including vaccinations) from the private healthcare facilities concerned to contact the department as soon as possible.Members of the public may report any suspected violation of the TDO to Customs by calling its 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or sending an email to its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or filling out an online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. Consumers are also reminded to procure services at reputable shops and consider prudently before making decisions to make prepaid purchases. After making prepaid purchases, consumers should keep the relevant records, such as transaction receipts and contracts, which can become basic information in case a complaint is lodged in the future.
Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence if at the time of acceptance of payment, the trader intends not to supply the product or intends to supply a materially different product, or there is no reasonable ground for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product within a specified or reasonable period. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
As regards the concerns of affected parents about their children's remaining vaccinations, all 29 Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) under the DH provide vaccination service for infants and young children from birth to five years of age under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme. For children affected by the incident and have been registered with one of the MCHCs, their parents may make an appointment by calling the registered MCHCs to consult the healthcare staff at the MCHCs on the vaccinations that their children need to receive in the future. For a small number of children who have not been registered with the MCHCs, parents may call this hotline (2125 1188), which will operate from tomorrow (May 3) from 9am to 5pm daily until further notice. Parents can also send emails to dhhelpdesk_2501@dh.gov.hk or WhatsApp messages to 6170 8006 respectively for enquiries. Information on the services and booking procedures of the MCHCs is available at www.fhs.gov.hk.
