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Following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, at a media session after attending a public function this morning (March 13):
Reporter: (about Government's response to earthquake in Japan)
Secretary for Food and Health: As the Secretary for Security had mentioned yesterday, we are monitoring the situation and also communicating with Japanese Government on a regular basis to see what types of assistance we need to give them, and also assist our Hong Kong citizens now staying in Japan, either as tourists or workers. We have issued the travel alert to Japan, advising people who are tourists may be at this point of time try to refrain from travelling unnecessarily to the parts that are affected. On the other hand, we are also concerned about the possibility of the nuclear plant leaking of radiation as that will affect both Japan as well as the neighbouring region. Hong Kong is at a far distance from Japan and so at the moment, we have not detected any radiation hazard. But we will be monitoring the situation and also monitoring the announcements from the Japanese Government.
Reporter: (on monitoring of food from Japan and whether to offer medical assistance to Japan)
Secretary for Food and Health: The Centre for Food Safety will be checking all the particular fresh products from Japan to see whether they are carrying any radiation hazard. It is usually not a difficult procedure to do. That is something that we will be starting. On the other hand, Hong Kong is not largely depending on Japanese food supply. So I think food supply is not really a concern. Regarding whether we would offer any assistance to Japan, all depends on whether they need some of our expertise and equipments and so on. I believe the Japanese Government and the Japanese community all have very detailed contingency plan regarding earthquake. They have been responding extremely well so far in surprisingly good order in handling this type of scale of disaster. We will be communicating with the Japanese Government through the Consulate-General to see whether they need anything. We are always ready to help.
Reporter: (on advice to Hong Kong people worrying being affected by radiation leak)
Secretary for Food and Health: Hong Kong people should remain calm and rational when they decide whether they would go to Japan or return from Japan, and also keep track of all the announcements by both the Japanese Government as well as Hong Kong Government. If we detect anything that we need to increase their alert, we will of course announce it.
Reporter: (on Hong Kong travellers in Japan who might be affected by radiation leak)
Secretary for Food and Health: The advice should give is we should try to avoid going to the affected area in the northeast part of Honshu. At the same time, if they are not doing anything essential, like business, they should consider postponing their holidays or whatever.
Reporter: (on those Hong Kong people who were there during the leakage)
Secretary for Food and Health: I think the Japanese Government would check all the people that are in the neighbourhood of the nuclear plant to see whether they are affected. Whether Japanese or non-Japanese, they will be treated the same. In case there are Hong Kong people being affected, we will be liaising with the government to see whether we can assist them, either we have them being treated there or treat them and then send them back here for further treatment.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript)
Ends/Sunday, March 13, 2011
Issued at HKT 14:02
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