Hong Kong residents should call the Immigration Department's 24-hour hotline 1868 if they need assistance while in distress in the ASEAN region.
With effect from 0:00am on 25 December 2020, all persons arriving at Hong Kong (either via the airport or land boundary control points) who have stayed in places outside China on the day of arrival at Hong Kong or during the 21 days before that day have to undergo compulsory quarantine for 21 days in designated quarantine hotels.
In his Budget speech, Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, unveiled wide-ranging measures to revive Hong Kong's economy and help people overcome financial difficulties amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Counter-cyclical measures in the Budget aimed to ease financial burden on people and businesses while ensuring that essential public services as well as infrastructure development are maintained. The continued investment in innovation and technology will sustain momentum built up in recent years. It will help position Hong Kong well in the development of an international innovation and technology centre in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
To assist local businesses exploring new markets including the ASEAN countries, $1.5 billion will be injected into the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales and the enterprise funding ceiling increased from $4 million to $6 million. Click here for more details.
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mrs Carrie Lam, delivered a Lunar New Year Message to Hong Kong citizens living overseas. She said our city’s core strengths and strong fundamentals remained despite the recent challenges, and opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area abounded. She also highlighted several initiatives which overseas Hong Kong people could make use of when returning to the city.
The Director-General of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Mr Law Kin-wai, delivered a Chinese New Year Message. May we wish you a healthy and prosperous Year of the Ox!
The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, wrote an article reiterating HK's unique advantages in arbitration and dispute resolution services. In the article, she also said rational decisions have to be made regarding the legal seat of arbitration, whether the arbitration is ad hoc or institutional, and which institution is to be chosen.
The part in relation to Cambodia under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the Investment Agreement (IA) between Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will take effect on February 12, signifying that the FTA and the IA signed between Hong Kong and the 10 member states of ASEAN will come into effect in full.
On trade in goods under the FTA, Cambodia will progressively reduce and eliminate customs duties on goods originating from Hong Kong. On trade in services, Hong Kong service providers will enjoy legal certainty in market access for an extensive range of services sectors in Cambodia. Under the IA, Cambodia will provide Hong Kong enterprises investing in its area with fair and equitable treatment of their investments, physical protection and security of their investments, and the assurance of the free transfer of their investments and returns.
Hong Kong enterprises and service providers will be able to enjoy the full benefits as committed to by all 10 ASEAN member states under the agreements. Their business opportunities in ASEAN markets will be greatly enhanced. Click here for more information
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today said it has a constitutional responsibility to safeguard national security, and has the determination, perseverance and capability to enforce the National Security Law to safeguard Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability under the “one country, two systems” principle.
Read more:
HKSAR Government resolutely safeguards national security without fear (https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202101/07/P2021010700635.htm)
HKSAR Government will not tolerate any offence of subversion (https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202101/06/P2021010600675.htm)
