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Hong Kong has formed a united front with the Mainland and Macau authorities in combating cross-boundary drug abuse and trafficking, the Secretary for Security, Mrs. Regina Ip, said today (November 8).
Mrs. Ip made this remark at the opening ceremony of the first-ever Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau Conference on Policy to Tackle Drug Abuse and Trafficking. The Conference is jointly organized by the Narcotics Division and the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN).
"The drug problem is a global issue. Hong Kong places great emphasis on external cooperation, especially with its neighbouring countries and regions," said Mrs. Ip.
"The Conference is aimed at enhancing mutual understanding of the anti-drug policies in the three places, especially in the areas of legislation and law enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation as well as preventive education and publicity. Mutual exchanges and stepped up cooperation will lead to more effective efforts in curbing cross-boundary drug trafficking," she added.
Mrs. Ip said the Mainland, Macau and local authorities had maintained regular contacts and cooperation in combating cross-boundary drug abuse and trafficking.
"A number of Government departments including the Police, Customs and the Government Laboratory had maintained close liaison and cooperation with their counterparts in the Mainland and Macau in the fight against drugs.
"The Hong Kong Police have further strengthened intelligence exchange with the Mainland by setting up a special liaison unit in their Narcotics Bureau in order to combat cross-boundary drug trafficking syndicates more effectively.
"The Customs and Excise Department has also stepped up cooperation with the Mainland counterparts to deter the trafficking of dangerous drugs. This takes the form of a liaison system established since 1982, annual coordination meetings, information exchange, communication by hotline, parallel enforcement actions and training courses," she added.
Apart from Mrs. Ip, other officiating guests at the opening ceremony include representatives from the Mainland, Macau and Hong Kong authorities. They are the Deputy Secretary General of the China National Narcotic Control Commission cum the Deputy Director of the Bureau of Narcotics Control under the Ministry of Public Security, Mr. Li Yuanzheng; the Director of the Guangdong Narcotic Control Commission Office, Mr. Chen Shaobo; the Procurator-General (Chief Public Prosecutor) of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government, Mr. Ho Chio-meng; the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tsang Yam Pui; the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr. Raymond H C Wong; the Director of Education, Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung; the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr. Ng Ching-kwok; the Director of Welfare, Mrs. Carrie Lam; the Government Chemist, Dr D G Clarke; the Commissioner for Narcotics, Mrs. Clarie Lo; and ACAN Chairman, Mr. Professor Lee Shiu-hung.
The Conference started with two days of plenary meetings and workshops. Today's plenary meeting was attended by more than 350 anti-drug officials, experts and professionals from Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macau.
Plenary speakers were invited to share their views on key anti-drug issues, including drug trends and abuse situations; supply and demand reduction strategies; the strategy, emphasis and future development of drug treatment and rehabilitation services; drug-related research and its direction, emphasis and effectiveness; and external cooperation in drug enforcement, prevention and publicity.
The five concurrent workshops provided a platform for participants to exchange views on various topics covering the differences in legislation and penalties in the three places; new strategies, methods and emphasis in preventive education and publicity; possibility of the use of Chinese herbal medicine in treatment, and development in treatment and rehabilitation services for women; ways of facilitating information exchange; and channels for strengthening external cooperation in the anti-drug work.
The Conference will culminate in a Youth Forum to be held on November 10 involving about 600 young people in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Macau in real time discussion on anti-drug issues. The Forum will be broadcast live at the Narcotics Division website (http://www.info.gov.hk/nd) as well as the Radio Television Hong Kong website (http://www.rthk.org.hk).
End/Thursday, November 8, 2001
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