Press Releases
Annual food, health and quarantine meeting opens in HK (with photo)
The Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao, Shenzhen, Zhuhai Health, Animal and Plant
Quarantine and Food Safety Control Meeting opened in Hong Kong today
(November 9). By facilitating exchanges and discussion among experts of the
five places, the meeting provides a platform for further strengthening
co-operation in health, animal and plant quarantine and food safety control.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko
Wing-man, pointed out that Guangdong, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Macao and Hong Kong,
being close neighbours well connected with each other in terms of passenger
traffic and freight flows, have developed strong socio-economic and cultural
ties. Since over 90 per cent of the food supply in Hong Kong is imported,
the HKSAR Government attached great importance to forging close
collaboration with other jurisdictions on matters related to food safety,
including close communication with the regulatory authorities of major
exporting economies (such as the Mainland) and relevant international
authorities.
He added that the HKSAR Government has all along adopted a comprehensive
food surveillance strategy incorporating the "from farm to table" concept,
covering the food supply chain from sources upstream down to the
retail/consumption level, in order to ensure food safety. The legislation
has been updated from time to time to promote harmonisation between local
and international standards on food. With support from different parties
including the State General Administration of Quality Supervision,
Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), the HKSAR Government has formulated the
"Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation", which was passed by the Legislative
Council in June this year and will commence operation in August 2014. The
Regulation will help enhance control over pesticide residues in food. In
addition, the Food and Health Bureau is working on a proposed framework for
regulating veterinary drug residues in food. Dr Ko appealed for continued
support from the relevant authorities to press ahead with the initiatives.
Regarding the prevention and control of avian influenza, Dr Ko said, "With
the support of the relevant Mainland authorities, the overall risk of avian
influenza in Hong Kong, especially the risk of human infection, has remained
at a stable and low level."
Topics that were covered in today's meeting included health inspection and
quarantine issues, animals and foods of animal origin, plants and foods of
plant origin, and food safety and control.
Attending the meeting are the Assistant Counsel of the Department of
Supervision on Animal and Plant Quarantine of AQSIQ, Mr Feng Xueping;
Director of the Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Ms Li
Yanhui; Chairman, Administration Committee, Civic Municipal Affairs Bureau
of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Mr Tam Vai-man;
Director General of the Shenzhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine
Bureau, Mr Liu Shengli; and Deputy Director General of the Zhuhai Entry-Exit
Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Mr Zhu Shaozhi.
Other representatives of the Hong Kong delegation include the Permanent
Secretary for Food and Health (Food), Mrs Marion Lai; Under Secretary for
Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; Director of Food and Environmental
Hygiene, Mr Clement Leung; Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Conservation, Mr Alan Wong; Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan;
Controller of the Centre for Food Safety, Dr Gloria Tam; and the Government
Chemist, Dr Lau Chau-ming.
Ends/Friday, November 9, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:31
NNNN
Photo