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The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, today (Saturday) praised the Hong Kong Customs for its good work, which had contributed greatly to the society.

Mr Tung said this when inspecting the Customs and Excise Department's Departmental Review to mark its 90th Anniversary at the Customs and Excise Training School in Tuen Mun.

He noted that the Department had taken vigorous actions against rights infringement activities and had established close links with mainland land international law enforcement authorities as well as the relevant authorities to protect intellectual property rights.

"The Department's success in law enforcement has helped upholding the law and order of Hong Kong. The fine balance that it has maintained between law enforcement and trade facilitation has enhanced our competitiveness and strengthened our position as one of the finest commercial centres in the world," Mr Tung said.

More importantly, he noted that the Department had proven to the world through its unrelenting boundary control and active participation in the international customs arena that Hong Kong remained a separate customs territory after its return to China, and that the concept of "one country, two systems" had been implemented successfully in Hong Kong.

"With the approach of the 21st Century, we commit ourselves to developing Hong Kong into a centre of innovation and technology," Mr Tung went on.

To achieve this goal, he pointed out that the Customs and Excise Department shall continue to play an important role in the protection of intellectual property rights.

The history of the Customs and Excise Department can be traced back to its predecessor, the Preventive Service, which was set up in 1909 with a small establishment of 26 Revenue Officers.

Over the past nine decades, Hong Kong has transformed from a seaport into a leading international commercial centre. The Department has also undergone considerable expansion in both its establishment and scope of responsibilities.

With an establishment of 5,200 strong staff members, the Customs and Excise Department is now a major Department under the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, committed to the enforcement of 48 different pieces of legislation.

Taking part in today's Departmental Review were 257 Customs officers from various Commands of the Department.

Photo: The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, inspecting the Customs and Excise Department's 90th Anniversary Departmental review at the Department's Training School in Tuen Mun

End/Saturday, September 4, 1999

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